SNK Legacy: The Fall of Wall Angeline
by Legion117
Summary: Year 1350: "There's an old saying in my family that a single moment, no matter how insignificant, can change the course of your life forever. This story, MY story, is a product of one of those kinds of moments." -LCpl Sara Kassmeyer. Rated M for violence, language, feels, humor, and some adult situations. Features OCs and the descendants of AoT characters. (Feedback Encouraged)
1. From me, in five hundred years

**July 24** **th** **, 851**

Columns of yellow smoke ascend into the summer sky. There are dozens of them, soaring through the heavens high above the ruins of a once forsaken city. For several moments, everything is still. Not a soul among us dares even to breathe. All we do is watch, unsure whether to believe what our eyes are telling us. This has to be a dream, a mere fantasy. Accomplishing a feat such as this…has always been thought impossible, always **was** impossible. Yet here we stand, atop the ashes of our enemies, stunned into silence by the magnitude of what has just been achieved. Smoke trails, the color of alpine poppies. As inconceivable as it may seem, their presence can mean only one thing, _victory_.

When the reality finally set in, there isn't a word I can summon to describe how all of us must have felt. Some cheered, some started crying, others collapsed from relief. A few dozen soldiers discharged their muskets into the air, whooping and hollering like madmen. People began embracing, dancing, drinking, and celebrating. In this moment, it doesn't matter who you are or where you came from. Whether you're a Scout, MP, or in the Garrison, whether you're an aristocrat or a low born; none of it means anything anymore. We stood shoulder to shoulder with one another. We fought, bled, and fell side by side. Here and now, we're the same. All of us stand as equals, brothers and sisters united in the pursuit of liberty.

There are many things that I will remember about this day. From the smiles on the faces of my comrades, to the hope in everyone's eyes, and the taste of freedom on my lips; these things I will remember well. But, above all else, there is one thing that will stand out in my memory. The sunset is so beautiful today. The glorious shades of gold and orange, the magnificent hues of violet and crimson that danced across the clouds. Protracted shadows stretched across the district as the vestiges of that summer afternoon sank low along the ramparts of the outer wall. The end to a long, bloody day and the end to six years of pain and terror. More than that though, it marks the twilight of more than a century of human oppression and a new beginning, for us all. When next the dawn comes, things are going to be different.

After today, we will no longer be made to cower in the face of our enemy. There will be no retreat, no withdraw, and no going back. We will advance, we will conquer, and _we_ will be the ones to _bite_ back. This world belongs to humanity and united we shall forge ahead to reclaim that which was taken from us. Centuries from now, people will look back on this day with pride and reverence. The day when we changed the course of human history. The day when our race roared in triumph over the monsters that enslaved us.

My hands tremble with excitement; even as I am writing these words I can hardly believe what we have accomplished. After all this time…all this hardship and struggle… **we did it.**

We have retaken Shiganshina. — _From the journal of an unknown member of the 62_ _nd_ _Reconnaissance Mission._

After that, things definitely changed, they'd been right about that much. The victory in Shiganshina served as a rallying cry for all of humanity. Just as Trost had the previous year, this win proved that we could stand against the titan threat. It gave us strength, gave us faith in one another. We became more united then than at any point in recognized history, and that enabled us to push toward the next horizon. In the months and years following the reclamation of Wall Maria, humanity resolutely stepped into a new age.

Spurred by our triumphs, mankind once again began to grow and progress. The lands within the outer wall were resettled and communities prospered anew, rising from the ashes. Breakthroughs in the fields of science and medicine brought an end to almost two dozen diseases. Even the medical miracles of Dr. Grisha Jaeger were in comparison humbled by such achievements. Advances in industry granted us astounding new agricultural, mechanical, and engineering technologies, making possible even greater successes for our species. Famine was eliminated; long range communication and transportation became realities. We also developed increasingly devastating weaponry to employ against our enemy, with great effect.

These innovations eventually allowed us to go beyond our borders and recover vast swathes of land for our people. The advances in engineering made retention of these lands possible with the construction of two new, reinforced bastions. Wall Isabelle, and Wall Angeline, forged over three generations with the help of titan shifters and the blood, sweat, and tears of tens of thousands of men and women. In the north, we gained access to the seas again, emboldening us to cross the waters in search of the world beyond. Our endeavors in the south and east even managed to reunite us with isolated enclaves of people, tribes who'd scraped out an isolated existence in the mountains and forests beyond the borders of the realm.

The astronomical increase in our domain, alongside a dramatic increase in average life expectancy, enabled the human population to skyrocket to levels not seen since before the titan's arrival. We went from just a few hundred thousand, at the time of the reclamation of Wall Maria, to nearly ten million in the intervening centuries. Once a tiny state desperately clinging to life in a dark and violent world, now humanity had become a fledgling empire. Slowly but surely, we were reclaiming the globe, and our freedom.

Still, just as with every empire throughout history, ours did not remain united forever. Even with how far we had come, our nature as a species was inescapable. The more we expanded, the harder it became for all of us to strive towards the same goal together. Humanity began slipping further and further into its' old ways as the years went by. Greed and corruption ran rampant once more, and our nation became plagued with dissention and strife. Our people bit and scratched at one another for power, money, and blood. Increasingly divided by politics and ideologies, we soon began turning on one another, utilizing the same weapons we had built to counter the titan threat to slay our fellow man.

The human race had spent hundreds of years crawling out of hell, only to plunge back into it of our own volition. We've been bogged down in that dark pit for decades now. I'm not even sure if anyone alive can recall the days when we weren't shooting at one another. By the time I was born, the country had long been enveloped in a costly and brutal civil war. Soldiers patrol the boulevards, and the government, headed by the royal family, rules over the people with absolute authority.

At one time, the bells of liberty had echoed down every street, in every city, at every corner of the empire. Peace of mind, happiness and prosperity had been a reality for all people. These days however, you can't hear anything above the clatter of machine guns, the thunder of artillery fire, and the rumbling of tank treads.

 **April, 1350**

 **Five hundred years after the battle of Trost.**

 **7** **th** **Scout Regiment Headquarters; the Port City of Nordheim, Northern Border of Wall Angeline.**

Sometimes when you're young, you don't always make the best decisions. You don't always think ahead, make a plan, or consider the repercussions. You're just right there in that moment. You don't realize that a single moment has the potential to change your life forever; at least, _I_ didn't realize it. If I had…well let's just say I probably would've quit while I was ahead.

The warm light of the midday sun streamed through the open window. A gentle breeze carried the pungent scent of briny seawater into the room. In the distance, one could make out the squawking of gulls, and the clang of ship bells. Two people in military attire stood opposite each other in uncomfortable silence. One of them awaited the words of the other, and the other desperately searched himself for words to say.

From behind an open folder, Captain Egill Randrup regarded the young woman before him with tired eyes. "I don't even know where to begin corporal." He sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"…I'm not apologizing to them sir, if that's what you're asking." The dark haired girl said mildly.

He narrowed his gaze, incredulous. "Apologize?! Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?! The MPs are demanding that I have you flogged, maybe even shot!"

"I'd like to point out in my defense sir, that they're the ones who started it."

"Oh yes, and you most definitely finished it!" The captain threw a packet of papers down on his desk. "There are three men in the hospital right now being treated for numerous injuries, including several bone fractures! The report even says that one of them is _still_ pissing blood! I'm not even going to go into the amount of damages that the bartender is suing for!" He slammed his fist down on the documents. "Assault, battery, aggravated assault against a law enforcement official, obstruction of justice, resisting arrest, felony destruction of property; the list goes on! I shouldn't even have to tell you how much trouble you're in!"

"That is complete bullshit; _they're_ the ones who assaulted _me_!"

"They attempted to _restrain_ you because you were actively engaging in a bar fight, with civilians no less!"

The girl threw her hands up. "One of the drunken bastards was taking swings at me! What the hell was I supposed to do?!"

"Handle the situation like a soldier; not some damn barbarian!" The captain's face was turning red from all of the yelling.

"Oh sure, and the MPs coming in and wailing on everybody was so civilized right?!"

"Watch your tongue Corporal, it is not the actions of the Military Police that are being questioned here, it is your own!"

"I was defending myself and they treated me just like the rest of those freaking thugs!"

"For God's sake Sara, stop trying to shift blame and take some responsibility for what happened!" Egill lowered himself into his desk chair. He rubbed his eyes for a moment before looking up at her again. "Regardless of how the _other_ parties involved acted, you yourself took things to an unnecessary extreme." He folded his hands in front of him. "What you did in there was disgraceful and I had expected much better from a soldier of your caliber. This incident brings dishonor on your regiment, yourself, and your noble bloodline."

Sara clenched her fists behind her back. Dishonor on your _noble bloodline_ , what a crock. Her family's legacy had cast a shadow over her for her entire life and she grew tired of being constantly reminded of it. The circumstances were similar for most descendents of the twenty one, a cohort of young soldiers who had been instrumental in helping humanity turn the tide in the eternal war they waged against titan-kind. Names like Eren Jaeger, Sasha Braus, Mikasa Ackerman, Jean Kirstein, and others had gone down in history, forever immortalized as heroes. Their descendents had been bearing the weight of that _honor_ ever since. Many of them ended up serving a several year stint in the armed forces as a direct result. All because society held it over their heads that such _selfless sacrifice_ was expected of them.

Sara had never bought into it, instead working the majority of her twenty years on earth to get out from under the boots of her forebears. "With all due respect captain, there's a hell of a lot more to me than the history of my last name. My ancestors don't define who I am, and they never have. I'm entirely my own person, Kassmeyer or not." Defiance shone from the depths of her piercing blue eyes.

Captain Randrup sighed again. "You know, if you weren't so damn stubborn, you'd be the best soldier in the whole company. Lieutenant Becker often refers to you as the battalion's finest junior NCO and you're performance in the field reflects those statements. However, even considering your overall stellar record and the multiple commendations you earned on T-Day, I can't get you out of this. The MPs are raising all kinds of hell about it, and they've got headquarters breathing down my neck. I've got to make some decisions here." Of course that's how it was playing out. Just like always, officers were running around shifting responsibility in an attempt to cover their own asses, military bureaucracy at its finest.

"So what then is to become of me sir?" She asked sarcastically. "Prolonged incarceration, public disciplinary action, capital punishment?"

"Good Isam almighty, no! Executing you would be a waste. As for corporal punishment, the very notion is barbaric and has no place in the modern army. And I'll be damned if I let a soldier like you rot in a cell in Gray's Watch. So with all of those options off of the table, I'm left with only one choice. I've put in the paperwork to have you transferred. I'm also docking you a month's pay and busting you down a couple of ranks to lance corporal."

She blinked a few times, confused. "Transferred…you're kicking me out of the 7th? This is like a second home to me; all my friends and comrades are here! What's going to happen to my fireteam?!"

Egill held his hand up to quiet her. "Don't start getting all hysterical. Your troopers will be placed in capable hands I assure you. As for the transfer, I realize that's a bit of a pill to swallow, but the order came directly from colonel Sorensen. There's nothing to be done. Besides, it'll only cause more friction if you remain here in Nordheim. The best I was able to do is reassign you somewhere you can still do some good."

"And where exactly would that be captain?" Sara said, crestfallen.

"I'm sending you down south to join up with the 10th Regiment as part of the roster for K Company."

Sara's jaw nearly hit the floor in shock. "K COMPANY?! YOU'RE SENDING ME TO **K COMPANY**?!" She shouted. "Goddammit sir, you should have just let them shoot me! It would have been a hell of a lot faster!"

"I understand that you're somewhat…taken aback by this revelation, but—"

"Of course I'm taken aback!" She slammed her hands down on the officer's desk. "You're shipping me off to a damn penal unit!"

"The Premier and the High Marshals find that term…distasteful. They prefer to think of it as an unconventional warfare unit."

"Oh come off it sir. You could at least give me the courtesy of not pissing down my neck. K Company is made up of the dregs of the military; criminals, low lives, thugs, and murderers, the lot of them. I'm quite aware of what kind of outfit it is." She snarled.

The captain rested his elbows on the desk. "Then you're _also_ aware of their impressive operational history are you not?"

"I've also seen their casualty figures too. It's blatantly obvious that the brass has a penchant for using them as fodder."

"Scouts have always been assigned the most dangerous and costly missions. Given that the 10th Regiment engages in regular combat against both the titans and insurrectionists, such mortality rates are to be expected. It is also why veterans have come to be considered humanity's vanguard. We have been baptized in blood and fire. We have endured where so many others have fallen."

"Those are pretty words captain, a nice bow to put on top of this pile of scheisse. The ornamentation doesn't change the facts though. "

"Regardless of the reservations you may have about this assignment, the point is moot. The papers have already been signed. Gather your belongings and equipment; you'll be boarding the first train to Altensiel the day after tomorrow." He stamped several papers before handing them to her.

Sara's eyes darted back and forth across the documents like it was a diagnosis for some terminal illness. "But…but captain—"

"That will be all corporal. You are dismissed." He waved her away.

"Sir, I jus—"

"I said **you are dismissed** Corporal Kassmeyer!"

Sara grudgingly stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her. In the hallway beyond she roared indignantly, cursing fate and kicking over a trash bin. A number of those in the corridor eyed her anxiously from behind their desks. They all quickly averted their gazes when she looked up, pretending not to have noticed her frustrated outburst. Sara shook her head, allowing herself a few deep breaths before straightening up and taking leave of the building. Privately, she was grateful that she didn't have to march past all of those pencil pushing jackasses on her way out the front door.

She replaced her scout cap as she stepped out into the midday sun. Plodding down the steps of the district headquarters, she had to fight the urge to go back and flip off everyone inside. Deciding against it, she strode off in the direction of the company barracks, her blood boiling. All of this was yet more proof that nothing good ever happens on a Monday.

The rest of the day passed at a painfully slow pace. Being a soldier, one didn't really have many belongings to get together, so she was all packed in less than fifteen minutes. Now she had a good thirty two hours to kill before she boarded the train south. She'd have liked to go out and enjoy the city while there was still time, but she found herself unable to summon the energy to do anything. Sara spent much of that afternoon lying on her bunk, staring blankly at the ceiling as she tried to come to terms with the cruel blow fate had dealt out. It was official; her life was over. Not in the angsty teenager sense either, the real honest to God sense. She might as well go down to the coroner's shop right now and pick out a tombstone.

Despite the carefully chosen words of her company commander, no one was ever _transferred_ to K Company, they were _sentenced._ Just as in a prison, once you went in, there was almost zero chance of getting out. You either died there or somehow survived long enough to earn your retirement. Given the nature of the missions frequently assigned to K Company, the latter was next to impossible. This is where the army attempted to dispose of their problem children while avoiding the negative impact of outright executing them. It was often billed as an opportunity for the guilty to find redemption for their transgressions. Oh how the ones in charge loved adding that touch of romanticism to everything. Yeah, like coating crap in glitter makes it anything other than sparkling crap. Redemption was probably far beyond the reach of the K Company scoundrels anyway. The bureaucrats probably just slept better knowing that all of their rotten eggs were in the same basket.

Dwelling on all of this only served to worsen Sara's already sullen mood. She let out a long groan and laid her arm across her face. Her sense of regret was growing with each _tick_ of the clock. She'd definitely pissed in the wrong person's oatmeal. What was she going to tell her squad mates, her friends, or God forbid her parents? There wasn't exactly an easy way to drop that barrage on someone, especially someone you cared about. There were a thousand questions rattling around inside her head. None of them had a worthwhile answer. The whole mess was making her head hurt. It was times like these that made knocking back a few bottles sound good. She wasn't exactly a fan of alcohol, but the numbness would feel nice right about now.

"Yeah…I kind of want to be done feeling for today." She mumbled, closing her eyes. "Hell of a way to start out the week." The way things currently stood, she might as well just stay in bed until Wednesday, catch up on some sleep. Though right as she began drifting into unconsciousness, someone burst into the room, shouting frantically.

"Sara, I just heard the news! Please tell me it's not true!" The person said, half whimpering.

 _"_ _I guess I forgot how fast word travels around here…"_ She said to herself. She lifted her arm away from her eyes to see a small, trembling blonde girl on the verge of tears. "Chrissy, calm down and please don't start crying." It tended to get uncomfortable for everyone involved when she got upset about something.

"I can't be calm at a time like this! You're being transferred out of the company, out of the 7th entirely! That means I may never get to see you again!" She shouted. Chrissy wasn't usually given to bouts of hysteria, but once something had her unhinged it was difficult to settle her down.

Christina Reiss, a girl of nineteen years who stood barely five feet tall and weighed about one hundred pounds soaking wet. She had eyes as big and blue as the summer sky and a temperament that could easily be described as saintly. You could travel the world twice and not find a girl as sweet, loveable, and loyal as she was. Since they were both old enough to walk, she'd been Sara's best friend.

"Geez, that's a little dramatic don't you think? I'm changing units, not going to the dark side of the moon." Granted, given her destination, the moon seemed markedly easier to return from.

"You're still leaving me, and that's not okay! We promised that we would always stick together no matter what!"

"I'm not happy about it either, but there's no getting around this. My soul's been sold off to the devil. They already signed and sent the paperwork."

For as long as Sara could remember, the two of them had been nigh inseparable, come hell or high water. Up until now nothing, not the army, or the war, or life in general had been able to threaten that. Still, if they had to part ways, she was glad that she wouldn't be dragging Chrissy into this hell hole with her. Someone as kindhearted as her didn't deserve to be raked over the coals like that.

"Well if that's how it is then I'm coming with you." She said resolutely.

Sara sat up. "There is no way in hell that I'm letting you do something so stupid. The people where I'm going will eat you alive, and if they didn't the titans definitely would."

Chrissy scrunched up her nose. "Sara I'm not a helpless child; I'm an expeditionary regiment veteran just like you are. Besides, if the company you'll be keeping is as dangerous as you're making them seem, I can't let you go alone. Someone needs to be there to watch your back."

"Keep arguing as much as you want, it'll get you nowhere. You've come along with me on some crazy tangents over the years: our cross wall road trip, climbing Mount Gerlach in the dead of winter, joining the scouts, that week we spent at Lake Reiwen, _what a week that was,_ and the list goes on and on. This time though, I refuse to let you get sucked into my insanity. Nothing good will come out of it."

"That's what you said about that karneval in Saarhein, but look how that turned out."

Sara rolled her eyes. "This situation is a bit more concerning then a street festival Chrissy, and considerably more dangerous. I'll say this a third time, you're not coming with me. Heck, even if I was okay with it, you can't just decide to transfer to K Company. It's a disciplinary unit; you have to be **sent** there."

"Where there's a will, there's a way." The small girl said pointedly.

Sara got to her feet and grabbed Chrissy by the shoulders. "For the love of all that is holy, stop talking like that! I love you like a sister, but you're making me want to slap you at the moment. I dug this hole myself and you are not jumping in to get buried with me, period. Just please trust that I'm saying this for _your_ sake. Please don't fight me on it alright?" She hated when things got all melodramatic like this. It always ended up feeling like a scene out of a cheesy movie instead of something real. Not to mention, the longer it went on the more the cheesiness seemed to "infect" her. So she did her best to stop encounters from getting too cliché.

Chrissy looked at her friend sadly for a handful of seconds before giving her a hug. Though she wasn't fond of touchy feely stuff most of the time, these embraces Sara actually really enjoyed. How could someone not? Chrissy's hugs were like being wrapped in a blanket made of pure sunshine. "We're all going to miss you. Me, Ludwig, Ivan, Felicia, and everyone else in the platoon too." She said. "It's going to be a lot less fun around here without you, and there's no one in the unit that could possibly be able to fill your shoes. How are you going to manage all by yourself down there?"

She patted her friend on the head. "I'll figure something out. I always do. There's got to be one or two people in the unit I can stick by. Until I find them, I'll just have to keep my head down and watch where I step. Like my mom always said, you have to take things as they come, one day at a time. Something else, do me a favor and don't talk about me like I'm dying okay? It'd be nicer if I got to focus on happy things during my last day and a half." She was already thinking more than enough about death.

"Then I'll get the whole gang together to send you off. Depressing though it'll be for us, a little going away party is probably just what the medic ordered."

"Promise me you guys aren't going to make any speeches, and please don't buy me a freaking cake. Some good food and good company is all I need."

Chrissy tilted her head back and smiled. "I'm sure we can do that for our favorite team leader." She laughed.

In the end, neither of those things happened, and her requests went completely ignored. Ludwig ended up purchasing a monster of a cake, and once Ivan brought out the alcohol, any chance at a relaxing evening went right out the window. Almost immediately, everyone started tearing up and getting emotional, like they were at a memorial or something. There were cheesy speeches and the whole nine yards, most of which ended up being more embarrassing than heartfelt. Sara had fixed Chrissy with an agitated glare while their comrades drunkenly recounted all manner of stories. The latter had simply smiled at her like nothing was wrong. They may as well have been having afternoon tea with her grandmother for all the concern that she was showing. Who knows, maybe in the confines of her sweet, innocent imagination such things appeared in a much more innocent fashion and the unseemly reality of life remained hidden from view? That would definitely explain how the world hadn't been able to corrupt her pure heart in any way as of yet.

Still, even if that was the case, it didn't give anyone else a pass on their actions. The others could have shown a little more self-restraint. Had Sara actually expected something different to happen though? In battle, these were some of the fiercest, most disciplined soldiers in the entire regiment. They could lay low an entire platoon of enemy combatants without even breaking a sweat. Off the field, they had about as much composure as a dog in a meat locker. On top of that, it always seemed like none of them listened to a word she said. Nine times out of ten a request basically went in one ear and out the other. After almost twenty four months of such antics, why did she bother trying anymore? She'd have gotten just as far by keeping her mouth shut. For the rest of the evening, that was more or less what she decided on doing so that she could somewhat stomach the rest of the intemperate festivities.

The "party" ended up running for a nearly unbearable five hours, in which her brothers and sisters in arms managed to polish off three bottles of schnapps and half a liter of Karanese brandy. Even an alcoholic would tell you that that's a bit excessive. Their behavior was even more upsetting their booze intake. Felicia kept hugging and asking to marry her, Ivan was shouting curse words at inanimate objects, and Ludwig just casually stripped down to his under garments and strolled about like it was the most natural thing in the world. As the quintet traipsed about the avenues, they drew glares of revulsion from passersby. Again, Chrissy carried on the whole time like it was just another ordinary evening. For her part, Sara did her best to ignore the judging eyes of nearby strangers and pretend she was somewhere else. Burying her face in her hands helped with that once or twice.

It took most of the night for the boozy trio to settle down and come back from their state of delirious ecstasy. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the paid dearly for their overindulgence, staining the streets of Nordheim with the multicolored vestiges of their last meal. Throughout that disgusting ordeal, they somehow managed to keep smiles on their faces. Occasionally one of them even opined that the group should hit up another bar. Given that they were having trouble remembering how to walk; reaching their beds already seemed like too much of a stretch. Not that there was any way in hell she'd allow them to drink further anyway.

It was three in the morning by the time that they got back to the compound. Ludwig, Felicia, and Ivan passed out on the way to their room, forcing Chrissy and Sara to carry them to bed one at a time. When that was done, the two of them plopped down on their bunk and followed suit. It'd been a _really_ long night. Oddly enough however, despite being horrendously awkward and having to babysit three drunks in the aftermath, Sara actually didn't completely hate the affair. It wasn't exactly the send off she'd have chosen, but it was definitely going to be one that would stick with her for a long time. Somewhere down the line she'd look back and these would be the kind of nights that became fond memories, mementoes of the time spent with the boys and girls of C Company. They'd been good to her these last two years. Though, this also served as a notice that she should never drink around Ivan, Ludwig, or Felicia, **ever**.

The day following their little soiree faded faster than you could say "gone". In the instant it took to blink, Wednesday morning had come, bringing her time in this city to an end. Sara had packed her gear, the few personal possessions that she had, and made the jaunt across town to the rail station. Her team members accompanied her all the way from the barracks to the train platform. An ominous, steam-shrouded locomotive waited there to transport her to the end of the earth.

"I suppose this is it then huh?" Ivan said with a sigh. "You're off to bigger and better things."

"Well, I guess that's one oxymoronic way of putting it."

"Are you nervous about all this?" Ludwig asked.

"Nervous, are you kidding me?! I'm **way** past that point. You're nervous when you have to put together the slides for the regimental briefing. Shipping off to K Company is more like leaving an academy officer in the munitions dump with a welding torch. Bad things are going to happen."

"Sorry…that was a stupid question."

"I'm sure it won't be as bad as you're thinking. Most of what you hear is probably just bogeyman talk." Felicia said reassuringly. "At least you're getting a chance instead of being thrown in a cell."

"It's hard to look on the bright side at a time like this. You'll have to forgive me for not sharing your optimism Fel."

Chrissy smiled broadly. "Things will work out one way or another Sara; you know that."

She shrugged. "I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I kind of doubt it. At least I can take solace in the fact that none of you guys got dragged through the mud with me."

Felicia placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, no matter where you go we'll always be your fire team. The five of us are bound in blood, family. Just write to us every now and again so we know how you're keeping alright?"

Sara smiled mirthlessly. "Yeah, you bet." The group stood quietly for a few seconds, grimacing.

"ALL ABOARD THE 1032 FOR ALTENSIEL!" A man in blue shouted from one of the train cars.

"That's my ride…" She said without looking up.

Ivan clapped his hands together several times. "Okay everybody, group hug, c'mon. We have to get the mushy goodbye in." The four of them wrapped their arms around Sara for a couple of moments, attempting to get as much out of the farewell embrace as possible.

"Damn I'm going to miss you guys." She said softly.

"Take care of yourself okay?" Felicia murmured, tapping her palm against Sara's back.

"I'm going to try." She sniffed.

"LAST CALL FOR 1032 TO ALTENSIEL! ALL ABOARD!" The conductor's call was followed closely by the screeching report of a whistle and the clanging of bells.

 _Time's up._ Sara let out a deep breath, squeezing her friends tightly for another instant before breaking away. She pulled her rifle and duffel bag around her shoulders, jogging over to the nearest coach and climbed up onto the entrance stairway. At the top, she turned around for one last look at her long time companions. A pang of sadness resonated in her chest when the four of them snapped to attention and crisply saluted. The whistle blew it's long, sorrowful note again and the train lurched into motion. Sara wanted to say something, but the words refused to form in her throat. So she merely returned their gesture in kind, albeit with a bit less enthusiasm. The train was steadily pushing away from the station platform. The sound of the pistons churning got faster and faster as the locomotive started gaining speed.

"HEY SARA!" Felicia cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted. "You better have some interesting stories for me when we see you again! Do us a favor and slay a few titans will ya?!"

She gripped the handrail on the side of the doorway. "YEAH! I sure will…" She waved at the quartet as they began receding further and further into the distance. Sara watched until they became nothing more than silhouettes and the train passed out of the yard. Then she ruefully ducked inside the carriage to find a seat. It was going to be a long trip.

From the now deserted platform, the members of Sara's squad stood waving until the last coach had rounded the bend towards the inner gate.

"You're going after her, aren't you?" Ludwig inquired after a few moments.

" **Oh yeah**. I just need a few hours to get some stuff together and _requisition_ a vehicle." Chrissy said nonchalantly.

Ivan looked down at her. "She's bound to be more than a little pissed when you show up down there."

"I know, but in the long run this is the best course of action. Time will come that she'll be glad that I didn't listen to her. I'm a little surprised though that none of you wanted to stop me."

Felicia chuckled. "Please, it's not like we'd really let her leave all by herself. Someone's got to go with her; better you than any of us. Just tell us what kind of kit you need to get and we'll find it ASAP."

Chrissy grinned. "Well then I'd like to start by asking a question. Do any of you have an issue with committing a couple felonies?"

The engine was well underway now and the _clack-clack_ of wheel against rail quickened with each passing minute. After a few minutes of searching, Sara managed to find herself a quiet seat for the lengthy journey ahead. She laid her belongings on the empty bench opposite her and fell back onto the wooden chair. To her right, the densely packed cityscape of Nordheim flew past the windows in a blur. In the distance, rising above the clusters of homes and businesses was the gleaming ivory façade of the Weiss Klippe, a massive natural promontory that stretched nearly three hundred meters into the sky at the district's northeastern corner. From its' peak, one could see for over one hundred kilometers in any direction. Some writer or another had once said that standing there was as like viewing the world through the eyes of God. It had been Sara's favorite place to visit. Now it was just another bullet point on the list of things she'd probably never get to see again. That list kept getting longer as the train sped through the rail gate and into the interior.

Inside of Wall Angeline were vast plains of fertile farmland and dense tracts of evergreen forest. Small villages dotted the lush landscape and prosperous townships lined the banks of the River Trabel. Time was that this would've all been buried in a snow drift. Centuries ago, the lands north of Wall Maria had been icy tundra, a climate shift caused by some event or other millennia ago. The snow-capped peaks of the Krottengross range stood sentry above the myriad collection of settlements, streams, hills, and valleys. A mighty remnant of those long forgotten days. At the center, Mount Gerlach soared beyond all its' siblings. Sara placed her hand against the window and sighed heavily. There was yet another memory that would be left in the train's wake. It probably wouldn't be the last one before she reached her destination either. Each of the hundreds of sights along the way had the potential to bring about old revelries. Though, their fondness would likely be lost on her today. Aside from occasionally scribbling something into her journal, Sara passed much of that day by staring out of the window next to her. She watched the world drift past at seventy two kilometers per hour, listening to the low rumble of the engine until the sound eventually lulled her into a deep sleep.

She didn't awaken until the following morning, and only once the conductor had kicked her several times did she groggily rise from her place of rest.

"Get up soldier girl. I don't care if you want to keep sleeping, so long as you go somewhere else. I've got a schedule to keep." He said irritably.

"Yeah, yeah, keep your panties on old man." Sara groaned, wiping the sleepers from her eyes. She yawned and scooped up her equipment. "We're in Altensiel now right?" She asked while pulling on her fatigue jacket.

"Yes, so I'd appreciate it if you'd leave already. There are other passengers waiting to get on."

"Calm down alright, I'm going… _you crotchety bastard_." She muttered the second part under her breath as she shuffled out and onto the platform. A large clock jutted out from the wall above her. She squinted to read the dial through a layer of dirt and grime. _11 o'clock._ It had been a little more than twenty four hours since she'd departed from the station in Nordheim, though it had felt more like twenty four years during the interim. Despite sleeping for a good portion of the journey, she was exhausted. Wood benches didn't exactly make the most comfortable beds. Her back was doing its utmost to drive that point home at the moment. Sara was already touchy at best and this made yet another thing to be bitter about. If she had to wait for her ride to Eisenstadt, she was liable to strangle someone.

Thankfully though, that didn't become necessary. No sooner had she stepped onto the street then she spied a tan skinned man in Scouting Legion uniform standing beside a transport truck bearing the 10th Regiment insignia. She exhaled and pulled her kit tighter around her shoulders, sauntering over to the gentleman.

He raised his eyes when she approached, cocking an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you must be the new girl eh?"

"I'm guessing."

A broad grin crossed his features. "Then I bid you welcome aboard my humble chariot; Lance Corporal Tomas Stenger, at your service ma'am." He bowed theatrically.

"Um…nice to meet you, I think?" Sara said, taken aback by his instant change in demeanor.

"The pleasure is mine. By what name shall I call thee fräulein?" Tomas said in a heavily accented tone.

"…Sara should be fine for now." She said warily. "Soooo, _you're_ the one taking me to Eisenstadt district?"

"You bet your ass I am. Toss your crap in the back and climb on in. The sooner we get back into town, the happier the good captain will be." He stepped up into the cab of the truck and motioned for her to do the same. She did so somewhat reluctantly.

"How long is the drive going to take?" She asked, not wanting to spend a lengthy amount of time in a vehicle with someone as…eccentric as Tomas appeared to be.

"Shouldn't be on the road for more than forty minutes or so, give or take. Really depends on how closely we have to follow the speed limits. If conditions are favorable, I could probably shave ten or twelve minutes off of the trip."

"No no, driving the speed limit is perfectly okay with me."

"I suppose there isn't a moment to waste then is there?" He smiled, sliding the key into the ignition slot and firing the engine. "Thank you for choosing K Company bus lines as your preferred method of transportation today. This begins our nonstop service from Altensiel to Eisenstadt. Our journey today is expected to take a little more than half an hour, Isam willing. Refreshments are available upon request. If you feel like you are getting motion sickness, we have several paper bags on hand for immediate use. Please remember to keep arms and legs inside the cabin at all times and never, **ever** adjust the radio without express permission from your driver. We appreciate you riding with us." With each passing second, Sara was starting to see walking as a much more attractive option.

With that increasingly unsettling smirk on his face, Tomas put the truck in gear and was probably, Sara imagined, about to floor the accelerator. Just before he had the opportunity however, a woman with messy blonde hair and a camera dangling around her neck sprinted up to the passenger side door. An expression of pure excitement was smeared across her features.

"Did you guys say you're heading to Eisenstadt?!" She panted.

"We sure are sweetheart." Tomas responded cordially. "If you're looking for a lift, hop on in."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!" She clambered inside of the cab, wedging herself in next to Sara before she could say anything.

"Thank you for choosing—"

Sara cut him off. "Firstly, don't get started with that spiel again. Secondly, what's the matter with you? We can't just offer rides to random civilians!"

"Excuse me, I'm not a civilian; I'm a war correspondent. I even have a press card and everything." She beamed, flashing a plain white pin affixed to her blouse. The woman proffered her hand. "Sonja Christiansen, Hanselt Weekly, it's a pleasure."

"Um, what exactly are you here to…correspond?"

"I'm going to chronicle the daring exploits of the men and women of K Company! Do you have any idea how many people would kill for an inside look at the army's most controversial unit?" Her face was mere centimeters from Sara's and her eyes shone with what could only be described as mania. As Tomas started driving the truck towards the edge of town, Sara began to wonder whether or not she'd have been better off walking.

You see, within our brains are little alarms that go off whenever we start to feel unsafe or uneasy. They exist as a sort of warning system to aid our natural survival instinct. Sitting in the cab of that truck, every single one of my alarms were ringing like church bells. I figured that I could chalk it up to anxiety and my long train ride though. So I brushed them off and tried not to show how uncomfortable I was. The cramped confines of the front seat didn't exactly help that effort.

Within a couple of minutes, the vehicle was outside of Altensiel proper and into the rolling countryside. From the get go, things were quickly becoming annoying. Sonja's mouth hadn't shut for more than five seconds since she'd joined them. The only time she would quit rambling on about this or that was to snap a quick photo, of which she'd probably taken two dozen already. At least six of them were headshots of Sara, whom Sonja proclaimed to be incredibly photogenic. Tomas wasn't making the drive any easier either. He flew around corners, sped through small hamlets, and generally drove like there was a red hot poker up his backside. In contrast to his actions, the radio station he'd chosen was playing nothing but classical music. That, coupled with his unfathomably calm demeanor, was making his driving method ten times more terrifying.

It took about twenty minutes before Sara couldn't handle being in the truck any longer. The mixture of fear and frustration overcoming her composure at last. "THAT IS IT! STOP THE DAMN CAR!" Tomas slowed the vehicle to a halt atop a grassy hillock. The Wall, and Eisenstadt district were clearly visible a few miles away.

"What's the problem?"

"What's the problem?! You're driving like a schizophrenic off his meds! You're going to get all three of us killed; how fast were you going?!"

"I'm not entirely sure. The speedometer only goes up to 50kpm before it stops working." He shrugged.

"Then get the hell out, I'm going to drive the rest of the way. You can ride shotgun with—" A low rumble reached her ears mid sentence. She'd heard it many times when on deployment with the 7th, the telltale echo of heavy artillery guns. She turned around in the direction of the city. A pillar of grey smoke was climbing into the sky at the district's edge. There were more explosions, the number increasing until the collective sound was like heavy rain drops against wood. "What the hell is happening over there?" She wondered aloud.

"Looks like the titans are besieging the outer gate again." Tomas said flatly as Sonja quickly started snapping photos.

" **Again**?! You've seen this happen before?!"

"Oh sure, once every couple of months or so. The insurrectionists like to lead packs of them down here from Drenigrad to try and breach the wall." He said, stepping down from the cab.

"They do what?! How on earth can you be so nonchalant about that?!" Sara asked him, dumbfounded.

"Well, I guess I'm just used to it. Stuff like this is part of regular life in our neck of the woods. Just don't sweat these things too much and you should be fine. Remember your training and all that motivational garbage." Tomas spun on heel to face the two women, spreading his arms wide. "Without further ado, I bid you welcome my fair ladies, to the City of Iron."


	2. The Southern Wolves

From cracks in the ceiling, flecks of masonry fell like snow, shaken loose by the thunderous discharge of so many cannons. The guns of Wall Angeline had been screaming without pause for nearly half an hour now. The Garrison was really earning their keep up there today. Determined as they were however, maintaining such a huge volume of fire wasn't a feasible strategy. With the considerable host assailing the battlements, the magazines would be empty before they could be fully dealt with. As the city's quick reaction force, the boys and girls of K Company would be on the field well before then.

Ordinarily, their intervention would have been unnecessary, but the enemy forces presently congregating at their doorstep seem insistent on a much more intimate audience with the city's defenders. This was a request that they would be more than happy to oblige.

Captain Kurt Adelheid strode down the corridor with a sense of calm purpose. A retinue of subordinates followed closely behind him. "Friedrich, what's our status?" He asked as he draped his scout cloak around his shoulders.

To his right, a younger officer with trim, black facial hair and dark brown eyes determinedly matched his pace. "The company has been armed and is awaiting your orders in the courtyard, sir." He replied, straightening his field cap.

"I'm impressed lieutenant; it's only been eight minutes since we received the call. That has to be a new record."

"It helped that this morning I didn't have to drag you out of the brothel for once captain." He said flatly.

"Friedrich my dear friend, that wounds me deeply. You make it sound like I'm there every day. There's nothing wrong with indulging in some fair company from time to time."

"All due respect sir, there's a reason you're at the top of the _preferred customer_ list."

"Ha, I'm that far now am I? And those fools in Wall Sina said I'd never achieve anything as an officer. Ah, but we should save the sordid details of my personal affairs for another time. How is everyone's temperament?"

"Every last one of us is chomping at the bit to get out there sir. K is always eager to spill a little demon blood."

Kurt smiled broadly, pulling down his combat glasses. "That's what I like to hear. Now, what about the civilians? Where are we at with them?"

"The blocks nearest the wall have been evacuated and E Company is establishing defensive cordons inside the gate as we speak."

"What reports have the Garrison sent us regarding the enemy?"

"Possibly as many as four hundred titans sir, not accounting for casualties that have been sustained in the bombardment. According to Colonel Stanczak, the majority of them are in the ten to fifteen meter range. The biggest of the lot seem to be among the handful of abnormal variants that have been reported. Most of those have been ramming themselves into the outer gate for whatever reason. This has put them below the fire vectors of the gun crews. They'll need to be dealt with before we can push forward. Assuming they ignore humans like most of their kind, our outriders should have no trouble dispatching them." Friedrich said, combing over a message slip. "It's been a long time since we've seen a horde this size captain; the insurrectionists must have spent a ton of resources getting it together."

"Then it'd be a shame to let such an effort go to waste, wouldn't you say?"

"A damn shame sir." He responded wryly, locking fresh blades into his grips.

The column of soldiers reached a large pair of doors at the end of the hallway. The two scouts behind Friedrich marched to the front and pushed the barrier outwards. In the square beyond, the two hundred plus members of K Company were arrayed; the last company of the Survey Corps last regiment. The dog company, the fiend company, the damned company, a thousand names and they'd been called every one of them at one time or another. They were a motley collection of men and women from all corners of the empire, every level of society, and every branch of the military. There were mismatched and "customized" uniforms, modified weapons and equipment, people whose skin had more ink than a full length novel, and a hundred other military dress code violations. Despite their appearance however, they formed just as smartly as a unit in the Royal Guard Brigade. And when Captain Adelheid strode out before them, the entirely company snapped to attention, rendering a salute with such flawless precision and unity that it sent chills down your spine.

Kurt halted half way along the front of the formation, pivoting to face his command. "Stand at ease my beloved children!" his voice boomed, echoing around the courtyard. "Listen closely now. Time is short so I won't stand on ceremony. Once again, our dear rebel friends in the CRF have rallied their efforts against us, bringing the titan scourge to our front door. They've brought every ugly mother's son in the family for dinner this time, so we're going to need to unroll the good linens and get the fine china on the table. It's just a pity that our human opponents didn't stay long enough to enjoy our hospitality." A few of the scouts snickered at the remark.

"Alright, so here's the deal. I'll be dividing the company into two strike groups. Under my command, strike group one, comprising first, second, third, and fourth platoons will initiate an assault from the ground. Our intention is to disable as many of them as possible and keep our unwelcome guests distracted. Once we have the titans' in disarray, I will fire a blue signal flare and Lieutenant Kassmeyer will attack from above with the rest of the company in a hammer and anvil strike. Once his contingent engages, we start drilling our way through their main body. If fortune favors us, we'll have thinned the herd considerably before the enemy can react to our reinforcements. After we've chipped away at the titans' numbers for a moment, both forces will rally and pull the rest of the herd towards the forest. We'll be able to fight the enemy on our own terms if we get set up in the trees. From there, the name of the game is attrition; wear them down before we wear down our supplies of gas and ammunition. Any hostiles remaining outside the forest perimeter will be finished off by the Garrison support companies. The heaviest of the fighting should be over in a couple of hours. By midday, we should have the lot of them finished off. Communications will be relayed to you through your platoon commanders. Are there any questions?" Kurt looked around.

A scout in the middle of the formation cautiously raised her hand. "Sir, do we have a contingency plan if things start going pear shaped?"

"The battlefield is an ever changing canvas, as unpredictable as it is ferocious. It's inevitable that something somewhere won't go our way. Being able to adapt to whatever occurs in the heat of battle is one of the key disciplines of the Survey Corps. So if and when something goes wrong my dear, we will do what scouts have excelled at for centuries." The captain chuckled heartily. "We shall improvise our way to victory! And I ask you ladies and gentlemen, what are the _divine instruments_ that we are granted to employ in the pursuit of victory?!" He swept his arm across the formation.

"COLD STEEL AND HOT LEAD!" His soldiers shouted in unison.

Over to the side, Friedrich was laughing to himself. Even after all these years, Kurt's pre-battle speeches hadn't lost their humor. Listening to him, you'd probably think he was quoting a propaganda reel or some cheesy war movie, but regardless of how he sounded, it never failed to get the troops all riled up. The man always knew what to say and how to say it. Add that factor to his natural charisma, tactical ingenuity, strength of character, and commanding presence and you've got a set of traits any line officer would kill to have.

"He just loves getting all theatrical with his _sermons_ doesn't he?" Behind him, a female scout with a short, brown Mohawk and numerous tattoos regarded their commander with amusement. "I'm beginning to see why he and Tomas enjoy each other's company so much."

"If it means the bratva and divchyny are more motivated and I get to expend a couple boxes of ammo, the good captain could recite the entire works of von Goethe as far as I'm concerned." A man next to her with dull eyes and equally as many tattoos said dryly.

Master Sergeants Nataliya and Ruslan Shevchenko; often referred to simply as _the twins_. The two of them lived up to that moniker, siblings alike in every way except gender and temperament. Nataliya was free spirited and kind, always smiling about something and making friends with everyone she met. In a lot of ways, she was like a big sister. She was approachable and beyond easy to get along with. Ruslan on the other hand had the social grace of a rock and just about the same range of emotion. A serious kind of soldier with an incredibly dry sense of humor, he wasn't the easiest person to make friends with. Still, he was well respected by those he commanded and if you managed to get past his personality quirks, he was a pretty upstanding guy and an even better friend. Both of them were long term K Company veterans and amongst the most skillful soldiers in the southern territories. There was no one Friedrich would rather have at his back when the bullets started flying. A short time from now however, those would be the second deadliest thing whipping through the spring air.

The captain continued his pre-engagement speech for another moment or two; anticipation of the coming struggle building with each word. Once he felt that everyone had their game faces on, Kurt split the company, mounting his portion of the troops on a waiting column of trucks and motorcycles that lie beyond the gates of the compound. Friedrich, The Twins, and the rest of the scouts scaled the edifice of Wall Angeline to await the attack signal. From the bastion's peak the soldiers gazed down at a sea of giants, clawing at the base of it. Unchanging faces stared up at them, jaws agape, mouths salivating, hungry for the flesh of men. A steady diet of artillery shells could only keep them satisfied for so long. Garrison soldiers ran to and fro along the battlements, carrying messages and pushing ammunition carts between the numerous gun batteries to keep the delaying action going.

"Well it's about time you guys showed up. The guns are starting to overheat." A trooper said on his way by.

"Well you can go back to polishing your pieces; the real soldiers are here now." One of the scouts responded.

"Screw you Tyra!"

"In your dreams Henri, in your freaking dreams." She laughed.

"Lock it down people; we have a job to do here." Friedrich said without taking his eyes away from the titans. Given the hard stare which he was fixing on the enemy, one would imagine that he was strategizing. Such an assumption was, in fact, only half truth. He was also taking in the faces of each monstrosity, memorizing every twisted aspect of their features. Friedrich did this at the outset of every engagement so that he could remember each of the beasts that he felled. One titan for every scout that had fallen while under his command. There was an immense satisfaction he felt when his blades cut flesh from bone and a shower of steaming vitae washed over him. As a scout, his purpose, all of their purpose, was to defend humanity against all threats and secure the future of mankind in this brutal world. Over the years, uncountable soldiers had given their lives in service to this cause. Friedrich had made it his personal mission to see that as few of his own troopers made the ultimate sacrifice as possible. And for those that were taken by the jaws of death, he would seek bloody retribution. He would not cease in his duty until age or the reaper tore him away from the battlefield. Such was the debt he owed for his sins.

His comrades prepared for battle in different ways. To either side of him, the twins had their heads bowed, reciting a prayer in the forgotten tongue of their ancestral homeland that had been passed down through their family. The pair matched each other word for word, syllable for syllable. There was something about safeguarding and guiding their hands. He didn't understand most of it, but had managed to pick up a few words over the years. One thing was apparent to him after all this time though, whoever it was up there they were asking for protection, they seemed like the listening type. Rus and Natali never came back from each engagement with more than a few cuts or bruises.

"So where's the good lord's favor shining today?" He asked the pair after they'd concluded.

"Right down upon us LT. We're set and ready to go." Ruslan said confidently.

A radio operator came trotting over to Friedrich. The man saluted crisply. "Lieutenant, Captain Adelheid wishes to inform you that his column is deploying as we speak. We're standing by for your orders."

The young officer turned to face the men and women in his charge, a motley collection of eighty or so scouts. Eighty lives hanging by the thread of his tactical decisions. Some seasoned veterans, some a little more green. He knew every last name, every last face that was before him. Lucien Goddard, Fiona Neuschwander, Jakob von Kleist, Tyra Holde, Stella Tarkovsky, and Rylan Braus just to name a few. The burden of command grew heavier the more souls you had to shepherd through the valley of death. If anyone should be forced to bear such an immense burden, it was better that it rest upon his own shoulders. He wouldn't wish the strain on any soldier here.

He breathed deeply, closing his eyes for a few seconds before addressing his contingent. "Alright, you're all big kids here so I won't dress this up or anything. We're going to do this operation by the numbers. No unnecessary risk taking today; I want everyone here to come back in one piece. Engage as a team, I will not tolerate any glory chasing or lone wolf BS down there. Support gunners, watch your fields of fire. Now I'm not exactly worried about following through on this threat, but if someone causes a blue on blue casualty down there I'll personally kick their ass to kingdom come. The same goes for the grenadiers. Another thing I want to make very clear, nobody goes for a kill unless they're absolutely freaking positive they can get it. I understand that it may be difficult to make a split second judgment like that. Considering the number of titans we're dealing with, things are bound to get a little messy and confusing. If you get separated or it looks like you're about to be overwhelmed, disengage and regroup with your section. I want all platoon commanders and squad to make for the forest as soon as possible. Punch straight through the enemy's line so you can get to cover. The less time we have to maneuver in the open the better. Is everybody reading me?"

"Loud and clear sir!" It always impressed him, the conviction in their voices and the fire in their eyes. The very air around them vibrated with the sound.

"Good, now stand to boys and girls. I doubt we'll have to be here very long."

So they waited, watching as the combat was initiated in earnest on the plain below. Clouds of dust billowed in the wake of speeding vehicles. Machineguns began chattering away, spewing forth a punishing storm of death which chewed through the titans' hides with gusto. Several of the monsters were, if only for a moment, laid low by the fusillade of bullets. It was a stirring sight, one which made the blood run hot in your veins. Oh how they yearned to be down there in the thick of it.

In spite of their eagerness however, Friedrich's company remained steadfast, with their fingers twitching next to the triggers of their arms. For the moment, watching was all they'd been permitted to do.

At the fore of the chaos was Kurt's command vehicle, recognizable by the battered regimental colors flapping violently above the troop bay of the halftrack. The captain himself could be seen firing at some of the smaller creatures; snapping off precise bursts from the sturmgewehr slung over his shoulder. He was right there at the front of the column, the tip of the spear, shouting commands into a radio headset and urging his troops forward.

At one time, Kurt had said that an officer who didn't lead from the front and stand in the thick of it with their soldiers was unfit to command. Directing from far behind the lines, away from the danger was either an act of cowardice or arrogance. It was hard to believe these words had been spoken by the son of a Stohess nobleman. What's more, he'd said it directly to his regimental commander at the time, though the rumors tended to take the story even further. Someone swore that he'd said it to the _premier_ , and then _slapped_ him across the face for daring to speak against his accusation. Whatever the circumstances, such actions had generated much affection for him among the rank and file. He wasn't afraid to put himself on the chopping block for his troops or call out those who would casually send his men to their deaths.

Outside of the briefing room and away from the battlefield, he would spend his time among his subordinates, engaging in their off duty activities with them. He was an officer that, despite his pedigree and position was in almost every respect, just another one of the guys. He actually gave a damn about who they were as people and what happened to them, one of the few people in the armed forces that they could say that about. For people higher up the chain of command, dealing with a man like Kurt Adelheid was nothing short of nightmarish. His open contempt for the chain of command and brash attitude were only two among numerous things his superiors detested about his character. Many of whom would've love an excuse to dismiss or court martial him. Though, if you were to ask the outcast and discarded scouts of K Company, there was no better officer in the entire Survey Corps. It was an honor, hell it was practically a joy to fight alongside such a man; and his troops were always ready and willing to do so. Everyone who served under him would charge directly into the mouth of hell itself if he asked it of them. Friedrich was certain that many of them would expect to find Kurt punching the devil in the face when they got there.

So when their beloved commander finally sent his cerulean flare into the heavens, a malicious grin crept across the faces of the scouts atop Wall Angeline. It was time for them to take to the killing fields once more. The wolves of the southlands had just been let off their leash. Friedrich took one last deep breath and pivoted on heel, raising his blade on high.

"Men and women of the Last Company, we go forward once again to bring death upon the enemies of humanity!" He roared.

"IN OUR WAKE, NOT A SINGLE FOE WILL REMAIN STANDING!" His troops answered in kind.

"We commence our sacred duty in the name of our fallen brothers and sisters, in defense of our city, and in order to secure the future of mankind! Forward my valiant comrades, zum sieg! WIR SIND DIE JAGER!"

" **WIR SIND DIE JAGER!** " They shouted at the tops of their lungs, voices filling the air like a clap of thunder. _We are the hunters_ , an ancient war cry which had led scouts into battle for hundreds of years. The words carried the strength and fury of all those, living or dead, who had taken up the winged crest in man's ceaseless struggle for freedom. It was uncertain who first used the term, but records placed its' origin among the members of the twenty one, who'd served in the original Scout Regiment under the twelfth and legendary commander, Erwin Smith. It had been the Survey Corps official motto ever since the retaking of Shiganshina half a millennium before.

So it was that, with fire in hearts, the scouts descended from on high like birds of prey. Dozens of black silhouettes coming down out of the sun to grant death wherever the soared. Friedrich started firing off orders to his subordinates in quick succession the moment the cohort was in the air.

"Squads three and four, break left and take down that cluster of ten meter variants! Squads twelve and fifteen, start hammering those sons of bitches on the right that are rushing the convoy! The rest of you follow me; we're going to carve our way right through the center! Let's move it you magnificent bastards! I want to hear those blades playing the symphony of defiance!" The young officer fell towards the earth, anchoring himself to the top of a titan's spine an instant before he would've collided with the ground. Engaging his winch, he shot up the creatures back, slicing through several vertebrae before coming to nape level. His follow up strike neatly cut the vital area away, slaying it. As the giant toppled over, Friedrich launched himself off its' head and proceeded onto the next one in the herd. _One down, three hundred and something to go._

Rus and Natali weren't far behind their commander. For their part, the siblings engaged as a pair with alternating strikes designed to stun and then quickly kill each titan they passed. The both of them felled eight of the creatures in less than two minutes. As they proceeded deeper into the mass of naked horrors, the titans were falling like wheat before the scythe. The veteran scouts swung from target to target, using the titans as living anchors for their grappling hooks and hacking off the occasional limb when one of them got a little grabby. The rest of the strike squads supporting the ground advance were also faring well, leaving a bloody carpet of smoldering corpses in their wake. The toll on enemy numbers was steepening with each passing second. Countless engagements beyond the walls had honed the skills of K Company's degenerates well. Each time they got a little faster, a little more precise, and a little more lethal. Man for man, their number of titan kills had become higher than any company in the whole of the royal army. The opening exchange had gone as well as they could have hoped.

Though in spite of their initial successes, K Company's ferocious charge was not without cost. Casualty reports had already started filtering in over the comm. feed. As was most often the case when fighting against the titan scourge, almost all of the reports listed fatalities. Such was the life of those who wore the badge of the Survey Corps. Many of those here had seen dozens of fellow scouts fall prey to the archenemy. It didn't matter how hard you fought or trained; it didn't matter how many reconnaissance operations you'd taken part in or the number of titans you'd slain. In the end, people were going to die no matter what. Though, it was worth noting that Kurt's tactical planning and drills had lowered the unit's mortality rate by more than a dozen percentage points. In contrast, enemy death rates in the southern territories had risen by twenty six percent within the same timeframe. And that number was increasing every month. Not bad for a bunch of worthless scumbags eh?

It had been fifteen minutes since the scouts had begun their encounter with the titans and nearly ninety of the wretches now lay in their wake. The rebels must have been getting desperate if they'd gotten together so many beasts for a single assault. Perhaps the offensives by royalist forces in the east were putting more pressure on the CRF than they realized. That would've explained the small size of the force that had led the titans to Eisenstadt's gates. Normally they'd bring enough personnel to stage a raid on the city itself, but there weren't many elements at the forefront of the titan host. The few that were present had fired sporadically at the gun crews on the wall for a moment or two at the outset of the engagement, and then hastily quit the field. That meant their command was keeping most of its forces in the homeland to reinforce the defensive lines at the Truniw River. The war was finally starting to get somewhere after all these years. With any luck, today's battle would edge humanity a little closer to victory on that front.

K Company's Blitzkrieg was plowing its' way into the horde with fantastic effect. After a moment, it was apparent that they had drawn the titans' attention; the vast majority of their number pulled back from Wall Angeline to pursue the fresh morsels now within reach. Once they'd rearmed, the artillery crews would blast to bits the ones that were stupid enough to keep scratching at the façade. The scouts' plan was working and the next phase would be underway shortly. Ahead of the charging soldiers, the towering trunks of evergreen trees loomed, their promise of safety growing ever closer.

"Keep up the pace people; we're almost in range of the tree line!" Friedrich shouted over his shoulder. "I want all squads placed in close order lines and out of reach! The captain's force is going to be right on our heels; be ready to fight!"

"Once we reform, I need all the gunners to lay down a suppressing barrage with their M42Gs to provide cover for the ground column! Grenadiers can open fire as soon as the enemy is in range! Razor rounds and panzer spears should slow the titans down enough for the rest of the company to get organized for the second counterattack." Nataliya said to the troops in her wake, cutting down yet another titan as she spoke.

"What she's trying to say is, it's time to put some holes in these vybliadoks!" Ruslan echoed his sister's command in not so many words.

Jakob von Kleist smiled. "Don't have to ask me twice sarge."

The men and women of the strike force pressed hard on their accelerators, rushing ahead of their lumbering foes to assume firing positions in the branches above them. At twenty five meters above the ground, they were granted a perfect field of view. Within a matter of seconds, the troops had brought their heavy weapons to bear, unleashing a hail of miniature daggers and explosive projectiles. They howled like furies. A lust for violence, stewing just beneath the surface was boiling over. War, pure, simple, and unadulterated; in this arena, the motley collection of forsaken soldiers thrived better than anyone else. Nothing gave them greater joy than being able to grind these vermin into a gory pulp. The death storm staggered a number of the titans, and their brethren, much to the scouts' glee, thoughtlessly stampeded into the kill zone right behind them. Bodies fell to the ground like so many toppled trees. Geysers of blood and clouds of steam filled the space surrounding Kurt's mechanized convoy, their erstwhile comrades above ensuring that the enemy paid dearly for each and every step.

"Well they certainly seem to be enjoying themselves up there. I must say that their fire is remaining remarkably accurate at this range, especially considering the volume they're putting out; from this angle that tracer fire looks absolutely exquisite. And that sound, oh what a glorious concerto they're playing." The captain said with a twinge of awe. "Mr. Johannes, have you ever heard anything so magnificent in your life?"

"Sir, I think it would behoove you to sit down. The last thing we need is a ricochet taking your head off." His driver said anxiously from the cab.

"Ha, I doubt either of us wants that Aldrich my old friend. I do appreciate your concern, but you shouldn't concern yourself with my welfare. A friendly fire incident is the last thing you should worry about killing me; the brass has already given it a go a few times over the years. No, today we're going to be just fine." Though despite his words, he nevertheless lowered himself behind the safety of the troop bay's steel walls. At least then Aldrich would be able to focus completely on driving. Not five seconds after he'd sat down did a string of errant bullets bounce off of the roof plating. One could imagine the mixture of ire and validation marking Aldrich's face at that moment. Kurt Adelheid smirked. He wasn't sure why his subordinate worried about him so much.

"I swear, if that man keeps pulling this sort of crap **I'm** going to be the one that kills him." Aldrich muttered under his breath, having felt the stream of munitions impact his cab. That was all the more reason to get out of the open, before the captain managed to endanger himself or Sergeant Johannes half track any further. Plus, it'd be most welcome when he was actually in a position to turn his own weapons against the foul hordes at their back. He pressed his foot heavily against the gas pedal and shifted into the next gear as the armored vehicle picked up speed. The machine protested, its' mechanical organs pushing themselves to their intended limits. Its' engine roared and the exhaust pipes billowed black smoke like a sick chimera. "I'm sorry baby. I know it hurts but you just gotta keep on pushing for a little longer. We've only got a couple hundred meters to go. Then daddy will let you stop for a bit, I promise." He tapped on the dashboard several times as if petting an animal. The sergeant adjusted several of the instrument dials. Time for another announcement. "Captain," Aldrich shouted over his shoulder. "You're broadcasting across all channels with chatter priority, go ahead!"

"All call signs this is Reaver One Zero. I want platoons five and six to continue laying down suppressing fire until the entire convoy passes under them. Platoons one through four will proceed approximately three hundred meters into the wood and then dismount. We will make a kill box between our two formations and press the enemy. Kill anything that's not wearing a uniform; I want to see a mountain of corpses before lunch time."

Ordinarily, it would be difficult for such a strategy to have a high chance of success, but the geography of the landscape favored them. Though, this was not by luck or fortune, but by design. Long ago, when the scout regiment had made its' early forays into titan country, they had to adopt numerous survival contingencies in order to return alive. Some of these they perfected during bivouacs in the giant forests. When Walls Isabelle and Angeline were constructed, the areas in the immediate vicinity of some outlier districts were cultivated with scouting missions in mind. Clusters of seedlings from the giant trees were planted beyond the borders of the wall, creating a natural hunting ground in which to kill titans. Over the years, the stands had proven time and again their value to Survey Corps operations. They would do so again today.

Kurt's force deployed with the same rapid efficiency as those under Friedrich's Command. His troops leapt from the beds of their still moving transports, shouting the same war cry as their comrades. Dozens of razor sharp blades were unsheathed for combat. Further back, at the forest edge, the others watched as the majority host of titans lumbered past their firing line and towards the advancing wall of daggers. Now the trap just had to be sprung.

Friedrich again drew his blade. "Weapons sections remain here! Secure our rear flank and handle any stragglers that try to follow us in. The rest of you with me, the good captain must not be kept waiting." He dove from his perch, swinging himself in behind the charging herd.

The other scouts once more readied their weapons and eagerly followed in his wake.

"It's about time we got the real party started." Stella Tarkovsky said with a laugh.

"Geez Stel, if this is your idea of a party, remind me never to let you host one." Lucien Goddard snorted.

"Oh please, I throw fantastic parties, be better if I didn't have to worry about Rylan eating all the food."

"ONE TIME! That was ONE TIME!" Rylan Braus protested. "Give it a rest already!"

"It'd be wonderful if you three could be serious once and a while." Fiona Neuschwander said dryly as she cut down the fourteen meter titan in front of her.

"Hey, I'm a talented guy. I can tell jokes and fight at the same time." Lucien responded, carving away his quarry's nape to emphasize the point. "What kind of scout would I be if I couldn't multitask when the situation called for it?"

"Well Lucy, just be glad for your sake that the titans are so damn stupid."

"What did you just call me?!"

Ahead, Natali listened to the exchange with obvious amusement. "Those four make one heck of a team don't they?" She asked, to no one in particular. "Ah, just hearing that banter really takes me back to my cadet years."

"Yeah I know what you mean; they remind me a lot of some friends I had at the academy." Friedrich said wistfully. "All things considered, they've done pretty well for their age. Solid number of kills, high objective completion rates, they'd have bright futures in store for them in any other unit. It's a shame to see bureaucracy deprive such young people of that. Hell, I wish I'd been half the soldier then that they are…" He trailed off, eyes darkening.

Natali grimaced and pulled in beside him. "Hey, this isn't the time to go digging into that stuff again. Come on Friedrich, you know better." Her tone was more sympathetic than stern. "Keep your mind clear of everything other than the task in front of us. If you lose focus, we lose our ability to coordinate. Then the chain of command breaks and things will go to hell. Nothing good ever comes from those kinds of reveries anyhow."

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry." He inwardly cursed himself for the momentary lapse in focus, thankful his subordinate was there to snap him out of it. After eight years one would think that he wouldn't slip into the darker recesses of his memories so easily. Though, no matter how much time went by, no matter how far into the back of his conscious he pushed them, Friedrich Kassmeyer could still feel their presence. Black tendrils licking at the edges of his sanity. An analogy that only served to stir his sleeping demons. No, he had to clear his thoughts, keep his wits sharp. Not just for his sake, but for all of theirs. He was an officer. The field did not grant him the luxury of self reflection. _Let it go; there are men and women depending on you._ And he would sooner face every last titan walking the earth than fail his company. They had the upper hand in this engagement, but they had not won yet. He could not falter. _This_ was the crucial moment. A commander's guidance was needed now more than any other point in a battle. He must lead, inspire, and drive them to glorious victory.

"All troops, increase to maximum velocity! Press as hard as you can and with God as my witness we **will** shatter the enemy's ranks! Show the titans the full measure of our fury!"

"K Company. Let me hear your war cry!" Natali yelled over her shoulder.

" **WIR SIND DIE JAGER!** " It was unnecessary. The sergeant knew that. But it would still bolster the lieutenant's resolve further. No matter what level morale was at, it was always good to raise it higher.

Friedrich felt the vibrations of three score voices calling out in perfect synchrony. It sent a rapturous chill up the length of his spine, galvanizing him again. He gunned the accelerator, launching himself through the air with the greatest speed his equipment would allow. He dropped the titan that was in front him. The two beyond it shared the same fate, as did the next one, and the next. Another dent in the enemy numbers. Fountains of steaming blood rained down, covering him. Good. His troops fared just as well, scything through target after target. They too basked in the red shower. Yes, yes, this was good. _Slay the enemy valiant comrades, defenders of humanity! Kill, eviscerate, decapitate, destroy, lay to waste these foul creatures! Smash them until only embers remain to mar our passing!_

From as far away as the wall, the shouts of the Survey Corps members were audible, even over the sound of the Garrison's cannon. The cries went on unabated for an hour before falling abruptly silent. A brief few moments of quiet fell over the field as thick, grey clouds continued to bellow through the treetops. What followed the stillness were several dozen discharges, the familiar _p'kov_ of signal pistols and the ascension of numerous blue plumes. The operation was complete. Shortly thereafter, the column of gray vehicles began streaming out of the tree line, returning to the wall with only slightly less haste than when they had departed. The jubilant expressions on the scouts faces, were however undiminished. Though, they were caked with considerably more dirt and grime than when they'd departed.

Passing through the district gate, they were greeted by a contingent of cheering Garrison troopers. At the fore was the commandant of Eisenstadt's military forces, Colonel Borys Stanczak. The graying officer greeted Kurt warmly.

"Captain, that was superbly executed. As usual your troops acquitted themselves well in the field. You have my compliments."

"You praise me too highly sir." Kurt said, stepping down from his halftrack. "A commander is only as good as the officers under him. My subordinates deserve just as much credit as I."

"Ha ha, still as humble as ever I see." He clapped his hand on the younger officer's back. "Though this was no mean feat I assure you. Having witnessed much of the action myself, I will attest to as much. You and your cadre must come join me and my staff for dinner tomorrow at headquarters; this is an accomplishment worthy of celebration. I've also got two bottles of Marian killepitsch that would be perfect for the occasion."

"We would be honored Colonel."

"Oh nonsense the honor, nay the privilege, is mine Captain." He said heartily.

"Then I eagerly await the pleasure of your company sir. But for the time being, there are other matters that require my attention and no doubt that my regimental commander wishes to debrief me as soon as possible." Colonel Stanczak nodded and the two men smartly saluted one another before parting ways.

"Sounds like I better get out my dress uniform eh?" Friedrich appeared at Kurt's shoulder.

The captain retrieved a pack of cigarettes from his webbing. "Indeed lieutenant. Oh, and let the section commanders know that the troops are getting beers on me tonight. Have Sergeant Watanabe cook up something special for dinner as well."

"Very good sir. Not to dampen your mood, but I've gotten casualty estimates from the platoon commanders."

"And?" He asked quietly, lighting one of the jacks and inhaling deeply.

"Fifteen confirmed KIA, about twenty wounded. Most of those were relatively minor, but Alfred Geissler lost most of his right leg. He's stable for now, though Cesaire says he probably won't see sunrise."

A cloud of smoke slowly passed from Kurt's lips. "That's regrettable. Geissler was a very capable squad leader. I'll need to pay him my sympathies."

"Of course sir. Are there any reports you need filled out for Colonel Sakurai while you're attending to that?"

"No, no that's alright, I can do them; I need you to assist with another task anyway."

"I am at your disposal, sir."

"We have a fresh crop of replacements arriving today from other units. I would like you and the Twins to put a roster together and start getting them acquainted with the unit facilities."

"I'm sure Rus and Natali would be more than capable of doing that without my help."

"Oh come now Friedrich, why must you resist this process every single time? It's good to get to know the new people."

"New _bodies_ is more like it. Most of these FNGs we get don't even last two months. No point in getting to know people who are as good as dead already. If they make it that long, then I'd be more than happy to be friendly with them, until then they're just uniforms."

"We were all new to the company at some point young Kassmeyer; do not be so quick to write them off. Besides, I'm not _asking_ you to do this, understood?" Kurt took another drag off his cigarette. Friedrich didn't need further clarification to understand that he didn't have a choice in the matter.

"I read you loud and clear, sir." He said through partially gritted teeth. "Would you at least do me the courtesy of giving me a couple of your sticks?"

"I thought you were trying to quit smoking?" Kurt laughed.

"Dealing with replacements gives me a damn headache."

"Fair enough." He handed Friedrich three of the tobacco tubes. "Though I do wonder, if you detest this duty so greatly, what will you do when you take over as company commander?"

"Please sir," Friedrich snorted as he lit the first cigarette. "You and I will both be decrepit old men before the need arises."

"Ha, all the same my friend, I would like you to get used to this job. Tedious though it may be, I find it equal parts important and informative. Give these fresh fish a chance. Who knows, you may meet some interesting individuals today."

Friedrich shrugged. He very much doubted the captain's assertion and he wouldn't dare to hope otherwise. It was almost always the same story. Somebody did something that pissed someone else off and they got shoved down here to the military's little "reform school". Most of these people were just arrogant schmucks or poor bastards unfortunate enough to get wrapped up with aforementioned schmucks. Though, as the young officer went to gather up Rus and Natali, he had no earthly idea just how right Kurt would be.


	3. Unexpected Reunions

In the courtyard of the regimental headquarters, twenty scouts stood in a neatly arranged line. Weapons were slung over their shoulders and kit bags lay beside their feet. They'd been standing here, stock still for the better part of half an hour, under the piercing gaze of a man whose flesh was sporting more ink than a full length novel. Nobody moved, nobody spoke, the man before them had seen to that. The first person to mouth off was thrown across the yard. The second was treated to an expression of pure disgust, and an exceptionally brutal kick in the groin. A third had begun to protest the accosting, only to faint when the man turned his attention their way. There had been no further complaints.

So far, my first day had evolved into a mixture of confusion and pure terror. Tomas had left Sonja and me at the front of the compound to attend an introduction by one of the K Company officers. The latter of the two having insisted on accompanying me when she'd discovered what was taking place. Once inside the confines of the courtyard, we'd seen a collection of other scouts strewn haphazardly about the square, ostensibly here for the same purpose as I was. Twenty two strangers whose deeds had granted them admission to this court of fiends. For the most part, they appeared outwardly as normal as anyone. People chatted idly amongst themselves, socializing and getting as acquainted as they felt comfortable being. Though, not everyone was busy making new friends.

Two individuals in particular seemed rather content keeping to their own devices. One was a brown haired woman who was cleaning her weapon, whistling cheerfully. The other was far removed from the rest of the recruits. He was a thin man with sunken features and beady eyes, sitting on the hood of a car, playing with his bayonet. Something was…off about these two, like each maybe had one or two screws loose in there. A feeling I rather callously ignored. I mentioned the whole warning alarms thing before. Yeah, they were going off again. Just like in the truck though, I passed it off as anxiety.

The heavily tattooed man had arrived about eight minutes after I did and called a formation together. When someone had the stupidity to tell him off, well…you know. With these occurrences in mind, Sonja had spent the last thirty minutes cowering behind a parked truck, surreptitiously snapping a photo whenever she was feeling brave. At least there would be some photographic evidence if he murdered the lot of us. Not that the MPs would be likely to investigate the deaths of criminal elements at the hands of other nefarious characters.

After another ten minutes or so, the man's gaze shifted to his right momentarily before snapping back. He shouted for the formation to come to attention. The lot of them did so with a precision that would have made Keith Shadis' ghost smile. Over to Sara's left, a woman, just as heavily inked as the man, but much friendlier looking and a second, dark haired man with a cigarette in his mouth came walking up. There was something about the man that looked familiar, but Sara wasn't sure what or why.

"The detail is formed and awaiting your words sir!" The tattooed man saluted crisply.

"They look like they're about to piss themselves Rus; what'd you do?"

"I simply conferred upon them the need for order and discipline. Some of them required a demonstration." He said flatly.

"Uh huh, so I see. We've talked about this kind of treatment; the captain doesn't care for it." The man put down his cigarette.

"A great man once said, 'nothing instills discipline like pain' sir. I think his record more than validates the statement."

"Be that as it may, Kurt's orders are clear on the matter. Outside of training and field exercises, only officers are allowed to administer disciplinary action. Is that understood master sergeant?" He smashed the cigarette into the cobbles at his feet.

"Understood sir!"

"Good, then take your post. I'd like to get this taken care of as quickly as possible." Rus took up position next to the dark haired man who then turned to face the assembled unit. His features held something approaching disdain. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to K Company. Do you understand why you are here?" His voice boomed. "You are all here because you scum, wretches, and bastards! You are the lowest forms of life on this earth. You are not even goddamn human beings! You are nothing but worthless, grabasstic pieces of amphibian shit! You are not fit to exist as mud on the boots of your betters!" He stopped for a moment, looking around at the bitter expressions on the recruits' faces.

"That's probably what you were expecting me to say right?" He followed, much to the surprise of a few of the other soldiers. "I don't doubt that many, if not most of you were told something along those lines before being sent here. Am I correct? Come on, I'd like to see a show of hands." The statement sounded half like a question, half like an order. Only Sara and two others kept their hands down. There was a pang of irony in the fact that she had been one to speak so negatively of this post. It was not lost on her, but the majority of her thoughts were currently elsewhere. She was still trying to figure out why it felt like she knew who this man was. She stared at him intently, though Sara attempted to make her gaze less obvious. What was it about him? Something in his face perhaps, his eyes? Maybe it was his voice?

He sighed and relaxed his posture a degree, though his tone remained stern. "You may stand at ease troopers. None among you has yet done anything to deserve my scorn. Whatever you've done to land in our presence, remember that you are scouts, humanity's first and last line of defense against what's beyond the walls and the enemies inside them as well. My only expectation is that from this point on you behave as such. Manage that, and you may just find life in our little outfit bearable. That said, I believe introductions are in order. The two flanking me are the company's senior noncoms: Master Sergeants Ruslan and Nataliya Shevchenko. You will be working with them directly for much of your time both on and off of the field. They will supervise all drills and training during your time with us. It is going to be hard, painful, and dirty, even more so than your academy days. All of you would do well to heed their words of wisdom. It can, and likely will save your life more than once. Most men and women in the company would attest to that. As for myself, I am the executive officer and first lieutenant of K Company; second in command to Staff Captain Kurt Adelheid. My name is Friedrich Kassmeyer."

Sara just about choked on her own breath. Had she been drinking something at the time, she would have no doubt spewed it on the man in front of her. " _No freaking way…_ " She whispered, finding it difficult to believe what she had just heard. _"That can't be him, can it? No, that's gotta be a different Friedrich Kassmeyer. It has to be."_ She said to herself with almost enough conviction to make it sound like a possibility. Though, the vehemence with which she tried to deny it was only making the assertion sound more asinine each time she thought it. Not that such a conclusion had been rational to begin with. She'd never met a Kassmeyer she wasn't related to, let alone one sharing a first name with someone else in the family. No two living Kassmeyers ever had. The logic behind it was that each person would be remembered for their own deeds in life. Hell, it probably just made genealogy way easier. The scribes recording such information in the imperial archives no doubt appreciated it.

"We'll be coming around with a roster sheet so we can get a little info for the captain. There'll be a quick gear inspection as well, kit and weapons. Afterwards, a brief walk through of company facilities and then we can head over to the barracks to start assigning billets. Let's make this quick and easy boys and girls."

"Sir!"

"You're being awfully courteous for someone who has such disdain for replacements. I thought you didn't want to be friendly with any of the new people?" Natali whispered. Though what passed for courtesy in this instance was more neutral behavior than actual politeness.

"I don't have to be their friend to treat them like they're human beings. We've all been stepped on by those in power. There's no reason to show that same regard for one another, FNGs or not." Friedrich responded quietly. "At least then they may feel like they had some worth when they turn into grass stains."

"I can't decide whether that's kind or cruel." She shook her head and handed him a clipboard.

"That's beside the point. As long as you cement the chain of command properly, sir, the rest is fluff. Respect for authority needs to be instilled in the fresh fish above all else. Such contempt likely resulted in this transfer for some of them." Rus said under his breath.

"Come on Rus, you know me better than that. What did you think I was doing when I showed up with your sister? Have I ever _actually_ called you out for putting some half-witted cherry in their place? Discipline, as with many things in life, works best when you've perfected your timing. It should even be a little easier because the new fish are all from within the Corps this time." He half smiled.

Rus returned his expression. "Then I look to your example, sir."

Natali rolled her eyes.

The three of them began moving through the formation. Friedrich stopped in front of each recruit, asking for their criminal charges, rank, and lastly name. He rarely looked up from his clipboard, only resting his eyes on individuals when he heard something interesting from them. The further he moved down the front rank, the more apprehensive Sara became. She hadn't heard from Friedrich in almost eight years, let alone seen him. No one in her family had mentioned him in almost as long. More than a couple of people had assumed he'd been killed in battle ages ago. Though, the circumstances of his demise differed depending on who you asked, ranging from being eaten alive to being flat out executed by the Royal Guard. After so much time and so many stories, Sara felt like she was seeing a ghost. If indeed this man was who he claimed to be, he looked a far cry from the youthful, exuberant cousin she had once known. There was a lot of weariness in his face, a lot more lines. His eyes were much darker as well, with dark circles forming a salient beneath them and the shimmer of life all but gone from their depths. This was the last place she'd have expected him to be, but then again the same could be said of her. Which begged the question: When he finally got to her place in line, what in the hell was she going to say to him? The fact that she was near the end of the formation was making the anticipation worse. She struggled to form a cohesive idea as he reached the third from last trooper in the front row.

"Please state your charges, rank, and name in that order." He said to the next individual.

"Charges: Murder in the first degree, assault and battery of a law enforcement official. Private Sören Steinhauser." The beady eyed man answered flatly.

"Captain Adelheid likes to have a little more information regarding higher level crimes. Would you please elaborate, private?"

"I killed a man and I roughed another one up a bit."

"Don't get smart with me soldier; I'm asking you **why**."

Sören glared at him. "The dead man was my company commander. His appointment as such was likely a political favor; there was nothing that could have possibly indicated he was fit to lead. He was an incompetent swine with delusions of grandeur. Character flaws like that are a liability for soldiers in the field, so I felt it was necessary to relieve him of duty. I'm not the first soldier to do so. Then the cop who questioned me made the mistake of laying his hands on me. That condescending MP attitude, assuming he's so smart, that he's so powerful. So, I corrected his arrogance by breaking all of his fingers and cracking his ribs." He leaned in. "I **hate** those who assume a patch on their shoulder entitles them to authority and incompetence **disgusts** me."

"I must have misheard you private, because for a moment it sounded like you were threatening me." Friedrich said levelly.

"Just clarifying where I stand sir. I'd hate for there to be any unfortunate _misunderstandings_." He smiled thinly.

"As would I, private." Friedrich returned the smile before punching Sören in the gut. The man spluttered, dropping to the ground. Friedrich knelt and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Listen up shit bird; if you think I'm even slightly intimidated, you've got another thing coming. I faced three hundred things scarier than you before lunch today. Whatever ideas you've got in your thick head, let me dispel them right now. This is a penal unit, but you _will_ adhere to the chain of command and you _will_ obey any and all orders your superiors give you. If you prove to be an asset to the company, then we won't have a problem. However, should you prove to be detrimental to this outfit or those in it, I will personally rid the army of your insolent hide. Are you reading me Mr. Steinhauser?" He snarled.

Sören half laughed, wheezing under his breath. "Heh, yes sir…I read you loud and clear. _And here I was thinking that this place wasn't going to be any fun._ "

Friedrich rose to his feet, sweeping his eyes over the rest of the new charges. "That goes for all of you! I'll reiterate. Convicts or not, you are scouts and will be expected to conduct yourselves accordingly! If anyone isn't clear on that, step forward now!" Nobody did. Good. That meant he wouldn't have to do that a second time. He detested having to do this sort of thing. Though he agreed with Rus' ideology on discipline and order, he also felt that it should be out of respect rather than fear or brutality that soldiers obeyed you. Still, if it had to happen at all, it was best that the unpleasantness be out of the way early. Unit cohesion tended to suffer when it was done down the line, except in more extreme cases.

So Friedrich carried on, with the hope that no further violence would be necessary before the task was done. He was already exhausted after the morning's engagement and further disruptions would likely cost him his composure. In front of these fresh faces, that would undermine his position beyond reinforcement. Thankfully, the inspection went without incident or pause for a time. Unless you counted the couple of ass chewings that Rus gave out because of dirty weapons. Friedrich asked the same three things of each man and woman, occasionally requesting clarification on their records. Most of them spoke minimally, uneager to raise the ire of the veterans addressing them. Though, there were a couple of…rather open individuals in the lineup.

"Charges: misuse of military weaponry, blatant disregard for ordinance protocols, destruction of government property, six counts of insubordination, twelve counts of conduct unbecoming of a noncommissioned officer…" Friedrich slowly lifted his eyes as the woman before him continued speaking, counting off each succeeding offense on her fingers. Dark brown hair hung loosely about the woman's freckled face, strands dropping from under the bowl of her stahlhelm. She had a spent shell casing between her teeth and a prominent scar running diagonally across her face. He listened as she rattled off ten, fifteen, and even twenty different felonies, each one proving a little more surprising than the last. "…and ten counts of public indecency, or maybe it was eleven?" She scrunched up her brow as she tried to recall the exact number. "I wonder if they counted that one time in Vorona. Wait, was I drunk that time? No, I think that—"

"Ahem! Your name and rank, soldier, **_please_**." Friedrich cut her off, having heard enough to fill three pages.

"Oh, yeah sorry about that looty, sometimes I ramble a little bit. Corporal Viktoria Frost, sir. Reporting for duty." She saluted sloppily. "I enjoy long walks through no man's land, bouquets of hand grenades, being tied up with detcord, and my lifelong dream is to have sex in a foxhole while an artillery barrage screams over my head." She smiled warmly. There was not a single eye that wasn't on her or a single jaw that wasn't slack.

Friedrich looked at her blankly for an awkward moment or two before speaking again. "I don't even have a way to respond to that, corporal." He went to the next person in line, looking thoroughly disturbed.

"Um, thank you corporal, we appreciate your…openness?" Natali said, trying to dispel the awkward haze lingering in the aftermath of Viktoria's words.

"That was considerably more than I was comfortable with knowing." Rus muttered, not entirely to himself.

Captain Adelheid had said that there might be some _interesting_ people among the new recruits, though that was proving to be a gross understatement. It reminded Friedrich why he never liked attending these orientation ceremonies. K Company already was home to every crazy, eccentric mother's son this side of the Royal Capital and yet, the government always seemed to find a few more to send their way.

"I'm sure you can guess what I'm going to ask, but first, do you have anything special to share with us?" Friedrich said, tilting his head back so he could look the next man in the face. The soldier towered over him by more than a head's height. He was well built, with a hard jaw line and glasses over his bluish-gray eyes. His fatigues were immaculately pressed and his equipment showed the marks of ritualistic cleaning. Even his shoulder slung M42G machine gun shined like it was fresh from the factory. The regimental quartermaster would've been moved to tears by the sight.

"Sir, no sir. Brzenska, Daniel T. Support Gunner First Class." He saluted crisply. "Charges: Insubordination and striking a superior officer…My sincerest apologies sir; I answered you in the wrong order." His voice was soft and polite, but there was depth to it.

"At ease first class, no harm done. You dress very smartly trooper, my compliments. You obviously take great pride in your kit."

"A proper soldier must always be a shining example for others to follow sir! For by our guiding light, humanity will endure and prosper!" Spoken like he had walked straight out of a recruiting poster.

"Your devotion is admirable Mr. Brzenska. How tall are you man?"

"2.04216 meters exactly sir!"

"Bozhe vsemohutniy…was this guy's dad a titan?" Rus snorted.

"Were I tainted by the blood of the archenemy, I would gladly perish by my own hand Master Sergeant." Daniel said resolutely. It'd be way better than whatever the state would do to him if that was the case.

You see, harboring titan blood is a capital offense, an extension of the legislation that outlawed titan shifting in the year 1242. The laws themselves were born of the White Forest incident in 1239, wherein a shifter went insane and leveled a nearby village, killing almost three hundred. Everybody lost their minds over it. The technology was immediately confiscated and further research into human/titan hybrids was shut down. Living shifters at the time were either executed or imprisoned since they 'represented a threat to the continued wellbeing of the human race.' Hell of a lot like what happened when the phenomenon was first discovered in Eren Jaeger. So aside from the originals, titan shifters have mostly faded into legend in the last hundred and some odd years.

Whenever we get around to building the sixth wall, the government is probably going to regret that decision. Though, with the whole civil war thing going on, nobody really wants to divert funds to that area anyway, but I digress.

My long lost relative was moving further and further down the line of recruits, closer and closer to where I stood. My sense of trepidation was soaring to ever greater heights with each passing minute. After what was easily the longest twenty minutes in history, he came to a halt about a meter in front of me. He went through his spiel, his eyes on the clipboard. I hesitated for a moment.

"Come on soldier, we don't have all day." Friedrich said without looking up.

"Charges: Assault, battery, aggravated assault on a law enforcement official, obstruction of justice, resisting arrest, felony destruction of property, disorderly conduct, and conduct unbecoming of a noncommissioned officer. Recently demoted Lance Corporal Sara…" She swallowed hard. "…Kassmeyer." She'd never seen anybody drop something as suddenly as Friedrich dropped that clipboard. His fingers went limp and the thing clattered into the dirt, almost as though his hands had forgotten how to hold onto it. The expression he wore when his face rose to meet hers was a hodgepodge of several different ones. He looked as though someone had just slapped him. "Hey cousin…long time no see…heh, eheh." Sara laughed nervously.

"Rus, Natali, please get the troops organized and march them over to the barracks. Have weapons placed in the armory and then escort them to the mess hall for the midday meal. I'll catch up with you." He said without looking away.

"Right away sir!" Rus saluted smartly and returned to the front of the unit. "Platoon, attention! Right…face! Counter columns by the left, forward…march!" He stayed towards the back right of the formation, calling cadence as he filed them through the main gate. A few of the other recruits glanced over at Sara as they passed. "Eyes front you miserable swine! If you lose your bearing or get out of step, so help me God I'll break your legs!" Anyone who knew Rus knew that he wasn't bluffing about that either.

"If Kurt asks, I'll let him know that you're attending to a personal matter." Natali said as she followed the others out.

"Thank you sergeant, carry on."

Now only the two them, and Sonja, though Friedrich wasn't yet aware of her presence, remained in the space. He stared at Sara for a solid two minutes before speaking. "What are you doing here?" He said coldly.

"Well…I um…I could ask you the same thing." She responded sheepishly.

"You don't yet have the luxury of asking _me_ anything _Lance Corporal_. Answer my question."

"So you see…I was at this bar right? And there was this guy that was really drunk. Some uh…words were exchanged and he took a couple of swings at me. I responded…similarly. A couple of other guys got swept in it and some stuff got broken. When the MPs arrived to break it up, I may or may not have…continued."

"Quit with the pussyfooting bullshit and speak plainly lance corporal."

"I got into a really messy bar fight with a couple of fishermen and when the MPs came in I kept throwing punches."

Friedrich stared at her for another score seconds or so before his features softened. He let out a long sigh and started towards the gate. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"Just come on. I need a walk to clear my head and I'm not comfortable letting you out of my sight at the moment."

"Oh…okay." Sara adjusted her rifle sling and hoisted her duffel onto her shoulder. She furtively glanced over at Sonja who was peeking out from behind the truck across the yard. Sonja looked at Friedrich then back and pointed at him. _Should I come too?_ Or that seemed to be the gist of what she was asking anyway. Sara rolled her eyes and motioned for Sonja to follow. She did, slowly, quietly, keeping her distance. She was remarkably good at hiding her presence. The only sign that she was still behind them was the faint _tchk-tch_ of a camera's shutter. Friedrich seemed too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice.

He walked briskly, staying silent, staring blankly ahead. As they went down the cobbled street, Friedrich withdrew another of the cigarettes Kurt had given him and lit it.

"You're having another one?"

"Is there a problem with that?"

"Well no, but…those things are really bad for you, you know? Doctors are even saying that they might give you cancer."

"I've been trying to quit, but I've got a headache and I can't very well drink while I'm on duty."

"I didn't know you drank."

"Would you rather I be shooting up morphine?"

"Of course not! It's just that growing up you said you were never going to do either."

"Amazing what can change about a person in eight years isn't it?" He said sarcastically.

"The way you look now it may as well have been twenty. I doubt anyone would recognize you; until I heard your name _I_ had no idea who you were. What happened? Where have you been all this time?"

"For the last seven years, ten months, two weeks, and…five days, I've been right here, serving my time and 'fighting the good fight' as they say."

"Why hasn't anyone heard from you in so long? Most of the family thought you were dead."

"As far as my parents are concerned, I am and have been for almost a decade."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a long story and I don't feel like telling it right now." The way his tone shifted for that one sentence implied that any attempts at prying would be met with rising aggression. She may have had almost a million questions, but she shouldn't expect them all to be answered in one go. Though, she was determined to at least get somewhere, anywhere towards understanding this new Friedrich. There were so many differences already and she probably hadn't even scratched the surface. Being close to him now, several more things had already presented themselves to her. Not least of which being his hair, which had something of a shine to it. Initially, Sara had mistaken in for oil from his scalp, but upon closer examination she realized that the glistening was owed to a generous amount of grey mixed into his otherwise black hair. Hard to believe he was only in his mid twenties. He had the look of a man with half a century behind him. Though, for all that was different, surely there were still some things that hadn't changed right? Some things so much a part of who he was that they had to be there still.

"…sooooo, are you and Anya still together?" She ventured hopefully.

He scowled over his shoulder.

"I'll take that as a no…"

"Quit it with the awkward small talk already Sara; I'm _really_ not in the mood." He said bitterly.

"Well excuse the hell out of me for trying to make conversation. It's not like we haven't had the chance to talk in eight freaking years!" Sara said indignantly.

He stopped and turned about to face her. "Watch your tone Lance Corporal. Family or not I'm still a superior officer. I suggest th—" In the corner of his eye he saw a flicker of movement and the glint of polished metal. "Get down!" Before Sara even had a chance to blink, Friedrich had shoved her onto the sidewalk and drawn his sidearm. "You there, asshole behind the building, come out with your hands where I can see them! Make any sudden movements and so help me God I'll paint the wall with your brains!"

A small, terrified looking girl crept out from a nearby alley. She was quivering like a poplar. "Please…don't shoot me." She whimpered.

"Damn it Friedrich, put the gun down." Sara rose to her feet. "Sonja's annoying, but she's about as threatening as a newborn puppy."

"Who the hell is Sonja?"

"Um, that would be me." The girl raised her hand. "Sonja Christensen, I'm here from Hanselt weekly to—"

"This civilian is with _you_?!" Friedrich snarled.

"It wasn't _my_ idea, that Tomas guy was the one who let her in the truck!"

"Technically I'm not a civilian; I'm a war correspondent an—"

"Zip it news lady, the soldiers are talking."

"Yes sir." She said meekly.

"Hey, don't be a dick; she hasn't really done anything wrong."

"Sara, you must have taken leave of your senses if you dragged someone like this here. What's next? Is Chrissy going to pop out from somewhere too?!"

"I just said this wasn't my idea! I didn't even want her to come, but Tomas was happy as a clam to just let her slide up into the cab. Go yell at him about it; and of course Chrissy isn't here! What in the hell makes you think I'd drag her into this crap?!"

"I'm just trying to prepare myself for any more unwelcome visitors."

"Screw you Friedrich! It's not like I planned for any of this to happen! There wasn't some big conspiracy going on that placed me here!"

"Yeah, it was more like sheer stupidity! A bar fight, how could you do something so idiotic?!"

"God, you sound exactly like my commander! I get it, I made a mistake, but I can't change the past can I?!"

"Um, excuse me?" Sonja interjected.

"WHAT?!" They shouted in unison.

"It's not really my place to get in the middle of…your discussion, but people are starting to stare." She was right. A small crowd of passersby had gathered in the vicinity. Some of them were whispering to each other, expressions of disapproval on their faces. An older woman even came out of her shop and berated them for frightening away her customers. The two cousins averted their eyes, becoming more interested in the sidewalk or sky with each harsh word that came out of the woman's mouth. As soldiers, this was more than a little humiliating. Being in full uniform had only made the discomfort worse.

"I need to sit down for a couple of minutes." Friedrich muttered after the shopkeeper had gone back inside and the onlookers had dispersed. He walked over to a bus bench on the curb. Once he was resting upon the sun baked wood, he immediately started on the third of his cigarettes. He closed his eyes for a moment, deeply inhaling the smoldering tobacco fumes. What a fine day it was turning out to be. If this is how the rest of it was going to play out, he regretted not asking the captain for more smokes. The situation agitated him to no end, even more so because there was no way around it. After spending the last eight years in K Company, he knew as well as anyone that once you were assigned there was nothing you could do short of serving the thirty year sentence or dying to get out of it. Not in Sara's case at least.

The reporter was a different story. She was non-military and probably non-sanctioned as far as the Survey Corps' public relations office was concerned. Aside from her name and job title, this Sonja character was an entirely unknown quantity. Unknowns had the potential of concealing threats and should be removed before they can present themselves. Though, therein lay another problem altogether. Sure, Friedrich could send her packing right now if he chose to, but doing so without consulting Kurt on the matter would create quite the headache for him later. The captain wasn't a man for ostentation, but he did enjoy giving the papers something to talk about, positive or otherwise. Anything to remind the rest of country that they were still here, in spite of the government's best efforts to get them all killed. This left Friedrich with only a single option, discern the nature of her intentions and keep her in arm's reach until she could be properly questioned.

"Alright then, you there, Sonja."

"Yes…um…Mr. Friedrich?"

" _Lieutenant_ _Kassmeyer_ is how you will address me Ms. Christensen. I have a few questions that need answering."

"Yes Sir Lieutenant Kassmeyer!" She placed her left fist over her heart. Her response was alarmingly energetic, though she was doing the salute backwards.

"Please, don't do that again." He groaned before continuing. "So first things first, I need you to tell me what exactly what your intentions are." Sonja cocked her head to the side, as if not understanding the inquiry. " _God Isam almighty…_ I'm asking what you've come here to do."

"Ohhhhh, duh. As I said before I'm from Hanselt weekly and I'm here to write an in depth story about the men and women of the military's most controversial unit. There are a lot of people who want to see K Company close up, uncensored, raw, without the crown's red tape, and I aim to deliver on that." She said enthusiastically. He'd seen the same look on the face of every fresh faced recruit out of the academy. A youthful, childlike exuberance that was as yet untarnished by the realities of the world and the nightmares of war. Long ago, he himself had been that way as well. So simple, so naïve.

Friedrich leaned forward. "Ms. Christensen, how old are you?"

"Twenty years old…as of this June sir."

He raised his eyebrows. "They sent a civilian child out to the most dangerous and violent region in the empire to take pictures of a bunch of 'criminals and lowlifes'? Damn, you guys must really be short on readers and reporters."

"Well…yes and no. I wasn't technically _sent_ down here and I'm not _technically_ a reporter yet. I actually just work on the editorial team, but I really, really, really, want to be a journalist. My boss said that if I could write a good, interesting story that he'd consider promoting me to field work. I figured I might as well choose a story that had the highest chance of being…well interesting. So I procured some company cameras and a press pass, packed up my notebooks and my typewriter, rode the train to Altensiel, and the rest you already know." Friedrich _really_ wished he'd asked Kurt for more cigarettes.

" _It's like I've gotten the runoff from an insane asylum today._ " He thought to himself. "Do you have any earthly idea what kind of stuff we do here?"

"Not…exactly, but that's precisely what I'm here to find out."

"You're going to get yourself killed is what you're going to do. You'd be safer looking for ice cream in hell."

"Why would hell have ice cream?" She asked.

"You're missing the point! There's more danger here than anywhere else in the whole world, and we can't waste time or manpower babysitting you. Best case scenario, you'll be a corpse within a week, worst case scenario you'll be plaque on a titan's teeth before Sunday. Does that sound like fun to you?" The look on her face spoke volumes. "I didn't think so."

Sonja fidgeted for a moment. "Yeah well…so what if it's dangerous? So what if I might…die? You have to be willing to take risks if you want to succeed in life and even bigger ones if you want to be a successful journalist. The pursuit of truth often requires great sacrifices; that's what my dad always said. Chide me all you want, but I'm willing to put all I have on the line for this story and I won't leave here without one." That disturbing glint was back in her eyes. That frightening determination which gave you the urge to stand just a little bit farther away from her. The nail was in the coffin now. This girl was either the most ingenuous person on earth or she was stark raving mad. It was hard to tell which would've been worse. Still, she had an impressive amount of spirit. That alone may not be enough to see her through, but it went a long way. In Eisenstadt, spirit was treasured characteristic all its' own. People didn't last in this city unless they had it in spades. For most, it was only thing other than stubbornness that kept them alive on the edge of the world. Well, that or spite. Spite was an excellent driving force too.

Friedrich shrugged. "Alright, fine. If you want to dive into the fire so badly, I won't stop you." Though, he was by no means convinced she'd live through the ordeal.

Sonja was positively glowing. "Oh my god, thank you thank you thank you thank you!" She started bouncing up and down.

"However," He held his hand to stay her mania. "Final say on the matter is not up to me. Captain Adelheid will determine whether or not you're sticking around. If he accepts this little proposition, I will respect his judgment. Should he decline your proposal, I will not hesitate to toss you out on your ass. Do you understand me Ms. Christensen?"

"Yes Sir Lieutenant Kassmeyer!" She saluted him once more, backwards.

" _Please_ don't do that again." He pulled her hand away from her breast. Friedrich took one more drag from his cigarette before standing and stomping in into the gutter.

"So now what?" Sara asked him.

"Now we go back to headquarters so I can get some food and a hot shower. Then we talk to the Captain so I can find out what to do with you two. It'll be one less thing I have to stress about."

Our journey continued in relative silence. I decided against asking Friedrich anymore questions for the time being and focused on collecting myself. The sooner I started adjusting to this place, the better. The route back to the K Company compound took us through the heart of the district. If I was to put a word to our surroundings, I would say scenic at the very least. The city was colorful and strikingly beautiful. Eisenstadt had much more varied architecture than Nordheim, with many of the structures boasting aspects of the Gothic style. Its' citizenry was composed of all kinds of people, from street vendors and musicians, to wealthy merchants and nobles. Everyone was so vibrant and full of life it seemed. Sonja went absolutely nuts with her camera, snapping pictures like a tourist on holiday. Every two seconds she was photographing something different. People, buildings, cars, you name it. Anything that caught her eye was the subject of its own visual study. During the twenty or so minutes we were walking, Sonja had gone through almost five rolls of her film. These weren't small rolls either; I'm talking like a hundred shots **a piece**. The incessant clicking of her shutter was so maddening that I was about ready to break her camera in half by the time we finally reached our destination.

K Company's barracks were notably less grand than the structures we'd passed on our way over. A handful of plain stone structures and Quonset huts arrayed behind a wire-topped fence. Weird as it may sound, this was actually the most "military" looking place I'd visited. Even the facilities at the academy, which were for the most part pretty Spartan, seemed fancy by comparison. Not sure why I was surprised; I'm sure the government didn't funnel much cash into this place considering its intended use. At least it was well kept.

"This is it huh?" Sara thought aloud.

"Yep, home sweet home. It's not much to look at, but it has all the essentials. It's a hell of a lot better than anything you'll have when we're deployed. You'll get used to it soon." Friedrich said. "We have the gatehouse at the front, then the offices, barracks, mess hall, latrines, armory, motor pool, and sick bay." He gestured to each of the buildings. "You'll get a proper rundown of everything later. We have more pressing matters at the moment."

A sentry slid the gate open for the trio. Friedrich ushered his charges through and quickly led them up the steps of the administrative building. His eagerness to make them someone else's problem for a while was apparent. He'd had more than enough unexpected encounters for the day. There was paperwork to fill out and he'd prefer to spend the afternoon doing it in solitude. If fortune favored him, he'd even get to enjoy a beer or two around dinner time. Though, even when you're at your limit, life has an obnoxious tendency to drop one or two more aggravating things on your lap.

The gate guard was shutting the barrier behind them when a loud rumbling sound came from up the street. It grew louder for several seconds before the source came into view. With less than a foot of clearance on either side, a military motorcycle came roaring into the compound, nearly running over the startled sentry. The rider slid the vehicle to a screeching halt just shy of the office steps. They were swathed in a scouting cloak with a helmet, riding scarf, and goggles obscuring their face.

Friedrich balled his fist and stomped towards the rider as they dismounted. "What in the name of God do you think you're doing?! You go speeding down a city street and you almost killed one of my men! My patience is exceptionally thin today, so I'd suggest identifying yourself before I have you shot for trespassing and vehicular assault!" He shouted.

"Is this K Company headquarters?" The small statured scout asked in a muffled voice.

"Yes it is. Now start talking dirt bag or I'll start putting holes in your chest."

"Oh thank the Lord. It took me forever to find this place." They responded cheerfully. They removed the helmet, revealing a head of shoulder length blonde hair. "Whew, that was one heck of a drive."

Sara felt her pulse quicken by almost forty beats. _Oh no…_

"Last chance to identify yourself soldier." Friedrich growled, reaching for his pistol. The rider lifted their goggles to reveal bright blue eyes. Beneath the scarf was a dirty face and a smile as white as snow and as warm as the southern sun.

The young woman saluted. "Technician Christina Reiss, reporting for duty sir." She leaned to the side, grinning. "Hi Sara."

Sara just about fainted. _You have got to be shitting me…_

Friedrich looked over his shoulder. You could actually feel the anger radiating off of him. "Lance Corporal…you have ten seconds to give me a **good** reason not to throttle you." He said through gritted teeth.

She held her hands up and spoke slowly. "Friedrich, I swear on the souls of every scout in the 7th that I had **nothing** to do with this."

"Friedrich?" Chrissy cocked her head to the side and looked back at the man in front of her. After an instant of thought, her eyes widened and her enormous smile grew even bigger. She jumped up and threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "KASSY! Oh my gosh; I can't believe it! I haven't seen you in forever! Sara, how come you didn't say anything about this?!"

"Yeah Sara, why **didn't** you?"

Most people would be spending every precious second fumbling over their words to formulate an answer. Half-witted explanations to remove yourself from the line of fire are pretty much everyone's go to. Not me though. At that particular moment in time, my thoughts went back to when I was in my commander's office getting my sentence handed down to me. The longer I thought about it, I more I began wishing again that he'd just let the MPs shoot me.


	4. Welcome to K Company

**I don't usually put author's notes in with my work, but for those who've read this chapter already, I encourage you to read it again. After some review, there were a few instances in the latter portion of the chapter I felt needed restructuring. So, bear with me on that if you could. I do appreciate your continued readership and I hope that it sees this project to the end. Thank you -Legion117**

There are days in one's life when nothing seems to be going the way you wanted it to. Maybe you overslept, then you didn't get to have breakfast, then your car had no gas so you were late for work and your boss yelled at you and threatened to make it so no one in town would ever hire you again… Given your luck it was probably raining at that point too. Point is, everybody has an off day from time to time. We've all been there, done that, got the commemorative bierseidel. Then you look at me. It was now Thursday afternoon and so far every moment this week had coalesced into one continuous, unimaginably frustrating, _off day_.

Calling this place an office seemed like a generous overstatement. The room they were inside was cramped and musty; a single, grimy window providing the only source of daylight. The air held the whisper of tobacco that had been long since smoked. Empty wine bottles and receipts of dubious origin littered the space, a good number of which were marked with the letterhead of an establishment named _Des Engels Streicheln (The Angels' Caress)_. One didn't have to delve very deep to discern the name's meaning.

Fitting everyone inside this space had been a challenge all its own. Framed by a myriad of literature and personal effects, four individuals stood shoulder to shoulder facing a worn escritoire. The two on either end of the quartet had grown exceeding uncomfortable with the events of the last hour, one of them was about as anxious as a schoolgirl on her first date, and the fourth, well the fourth was about as content with herself as could be. On the other side of the desk, a spectacled man regarded the quartet from behind his folded hands.

He'd listened to each of them in turn, trying to get a full grasp of the current situation. At best, what they'd told him was almost dumbfounding. Some of what he'd been told was particularly difficult to comprehend.

"Ms. Reiss, let me run everything by you again so I can see if I have this straight. First off, you…tapped the phones of…" Kurt Adelheid looked down at the document that had been wired to his office earlier. "Not only your brigade commander, but several members of the local merchant guild. Then you routed their personal communications through a speaker system in the city center?"

"Yes sir, that's correct."

"How on earth did you mange that?"

"It was actually quite simple. During training they taught us how to intercept enemy radio transmissions, taking control of an unsecured telephone channel was child's play in comparison."

"I see…Immediately after this 'broadcast', you absconded with several tins of military rations, not to mention a field radio, plus your personal kit. Then you somehow managed to steal a motorcycle out of the Military Police compound?"

"I also borrowed a little money for petrol, sir."

"And you accomplished all of these things on your own?" Kurt asked with a hint of incredulity.

"No sir, I had considerable assistance in procuring my supplies. However, I cannot name other parties involved lest I betray my oath of secrecy."

"Yes…right. Moving ahead, you proceeded to drive said motorcycle to a payphone outside of Nordheim. From there you called the Military Police to report that you had stolen aforementioned items and were heading south on Highway Eleven. You listed Eisenstadt district as your intended destination?"

"Well, I didn't want them to think someone had misplaced the motorcycle. The guy at the motor pool probably would've gotten in trouble. Plus, if they wanted to have it back, they should be notified of where I was taking it."

"That was rather courteous of you Ms. Reiss," Kurt nodded approvingly before turning back to the document in his hand. "During said telephone call you also asked that your unit commander relay a form to my office. As per your request, that form authorizes a transfer from the 7th Scout Regiment into the 10th Regiment, Special Mission Detachment K. Is that correct?"

"Yes sir it is," Chrissy said levelly.

"This report states that following your communiqué, several Military Police officers pursued you through the Wall Isabelle countryside. You avoided spike strips, the spray of fire hoses, and two barrages of non-lethal munitions. At one point you even skirted a roadblock by using a drainage ditch as a…jumping ramp. The chase continued for over thirty kilometers before they finally gave up." Kurt sounded more than a little impressed. "Then, you made the remainder of the journey in less than a _single day_ , only stopping to fill your fuel tank?" It was a wonder that she hadn't collapsed from exhaustion the moment she stepped off her bike. Who was this person and what had they done with my best friend?

"Well, I didn't exactly obey very many speed limit signs sir. I wasted as little time as possible and I tried to do everything else while I was driving. Some things were easier to do than others," She said awkwardly.

The captain leaned forward, "You went through all of this because you couldn't bear to be separated from your best friend?" He asked the question in a manner that made it sound almost as ludicrous as it actually was.

"Not just that sir. We made a promise when we were kids to always stick together, no matter what. Nothing's ever gotten between us before, so why start now? Besides, I felt like she'd be better off with me here, considering the dangerous missions and kind of company one might keep in an outfit such as this. Of course I mean no offense sir," She waved her hands to dispel the notion that she'd intended any. The gesture was entirely unnecessary; Christina Reiss had never offended anyone in her life by _accident_ let alone on purpose. Hell, even if she did they'd have probably let it slide.

Kurt laughed heartily, "Well Ms. Reiss, if that isn't indicative of true friendship I'm not sure what is." He withdrew a piece of paper from the filing cabinet behind him and took out a pen. "Could you please state your rank, full name, and serial number for company records?"

"Technician Christina H. Reiss, serial number 26577139," She responded, snapping to attention.

"Thank you. Now we'll also need to contact the MPs and confirm this list of your infractions—"

"That won't be necessary sir," she interjected, "I kept track of each one." Kurt indicated for her to proceed. "Sir, five counts of petty theft, three counts of felony theft of military property, one count of motor vehicle theft, sixty seven _separate_ instances of exceeding the speed limit, resisting arrest, reckless driving, and one count of reckless endangerment." She looked over at Friedrich, "Please tell the guy at the gate that I'm sorry Kassy; I must have really scared him." Friedrich didn't respond or even acknowledge that he'd heard her.

" _I thought Cassie was a girl's name?"_ Sonja whispered.

 _"_ _You can't tell by hearing it, but it's actually Kassy, not Cassie. It's a condensed version of our last name,"_ Sara responded. If she had five pfennigs for every time she'd been asked about that nickname…

It wasn't a new thing. As she understood it, the name had been traveling around the family for the last half millennium, since the days of the original twenty one. Kassy had been a casual form of address between the members of her and Chrissy's families at the time. Apparently the two of them had been rather close. It drew connections to an old saying that some friendships can withstand even the passage of generations. Given their relationship now, perhaps there was some credence to that idea.

 _"_ _Ohhh, I get it, but why is she the only one calling him that?"_

Sara shrugged. _"She always has, since she first met him when she was a little kid. At the time, it was too hard for her to say his name correctly, so she settled on the closest thing that 'sounded cute and endearing.' He's never been all that fond of it."_ And she'd never been fond of having to explain it.

"Ladies, can you save the storytelling for later, perhaps when I can give it my full attention?" Kurt asked with a twinge of amusement. "I would very much like to discuss this whole _Kassy_ business over some coffee."

"That's very kind of you sir, but it's not much of a conversation topic," Sara said, hoping that he'd drop the idea. Once today was already more than enough without getting into a detailed discussion about it.

"Oh pshaw lance corporal, I always enjoy learning more about those who serve under me. Even after all these years I'm certain that there's much I've yet to know about my most trusted subordinate," He smiled. "Speaking of which, Friedrich, you look like you're practically bursting to say something."

"Sir, may I have permission to speak freely?" He was just barely keeping his composure.

"By all means, tell us what's on your mind lieutenant."

"First off, there are things about my personal life that you don't _need_ to know. They're personal for a reason. Second, and I say this with the greatest respect sir, I think that you're making a huge mistake letting Technician Reiss into the company."

Chrissy made a pouty face. "Why are you being so cold to me Kassy?"

"Stop calling me that…"

"She has a point my friend. I can't imagine why you'd be against adding her to our roster. Christina here has a very impressive service record considering how long she's been in the Survey Corps, multiple combat action awards, exemplary performance in the field, even an honor cross 2nd class, not to mention graduating ninth in her class at the academy. I find myself wondering why someone of her caliber didn't join any of the elite units after finishing training."

"Well you see sir, Sara didn't quite make it into the top ten and she said that 'the elites are pretty much all arrogant F-bags anyway.' So we ended up in the 7th. Also, I'd like to sincerely apologize if my coarse language bothered anyone," She bowed hastily. Again, nobody was _ever_ upset by _anything_ she said, quite the opposite actually. Growing up, I had heard people say that Chrissy's voice was like an angel playing the harp in a pool full of honey. Just hearing her speak was enough to woo almost everyone within earshot. That wasn't a rare sentiment either, considering how popular she was with the boys, and some of the girls in our hometown. I can't even begin to tell you how many weirdoes, creeps, and perverts I've had to protect her from over the years. There were enough sappy love letters and confessions to make me want to throw up. Though as much as I treasure my best friend, there've been times, like right now, when I wanted to smack her. She wasn't the only one I wanted to hit either.

"The qualifications and reasoning are completely irrelevant. I may not be able to do anything about a certain someone in this room," he glared at Sara, "but the other two have absolutely no business being here."

"On the contrary, their business is precisely what's brought them to our doorstep. I think both of these young ladies are doing something quite noble."

"You know _exactly_ what I'm saying captain."

"What would you have me do Lieutenant Kassmeyer? Should I send Ms. Reiss back to Nordheim to be at the mercy of the MPs? Shall I banish the lady Sonja from this fair city, to return home with trampled dreams?"

"Quit making it seem like I'm the bad guy here. These two are completely out of line and their conduct is wholly unprofessional. They shouldn't be praised, they should be dealt with firmly and using proper military discipline. Otherwise, neither of them will learn from this. We may not follow all the regulations around here, but I've never seen you shirk protocol, sir."

"Granted, the current state of affairs _is_ most irregular, but I hardly think that protocol has been broken," Kurt said with humor. "Tell me if you would dear Friedrich, what are the criteria necessary to invite a posting to this detachment?"

He rolled his eyes. He knew well where Kurt was directing him with this logic.

"I'm waiting lieutenant," He smiled wryly.

Friedrich sighed. "…In accordance with the Imperial Code of Military Justice, Article 72, Subsection K, all persons dwelling within the uniformed services of the Kingdom of Mankind, with the exception of the Royal Guard, shall be, upon confirmation of guilt in the commission of criminal acts, brought before a ranking officer for assessment. Taking into consideration the number, severity, time, and place of the felonious occurrences, the officer will discern whether or not the convicted person/s may be of further use to mankind. Wherein it is determined that the individual/s is/are reasonably capable of continuing in the service of Her Majesty's armed forces, said individual/s may be pardoned from imprisonment, removed from regular formations, and transferred into the ranks of the correctional force…" That was the text, verbatim. After innumerable requests for recitation by his commander, Friedrich had it all memorized to the letter.

"Is Ms. Reiss a person dwelling within the uniformed services?"

"Yes…"

"Has Ms. Reiss been found guilty of committing criminal acts?"

"Not by a military court she h—"

"Did Ms. Reiss confess of her own will to committing the offenses listed in this document by the Military Police?" He gestured to the paper he had been reading from a moment before.

"Yes sir…she did…"

"After an assessment of her personnel files, I, as the ranking officer have deemed that Ms. Reiss is reasonably capable of continuing her service to the crown. Do you disagree with my evaluation?"

"…No sir, but I—"

"Then I can find no justification denying her the right to do so. Therefore, effective immediately, Ms. Reiss is transferred and inducted as a full member of this company." Kurt scribbled his signature at the base of the form. "Once she is assigned to a squad, she will continue in her role as a radio operator. My decision is final; do you understand Friedrich?"

"Yes sir, I understand…" He grumbled.

"Splendid. I'm glad that we could come to an understanding so quickly. We both look forward to serving with you Ms. Reiss."

"I won't let you down captain!"

"Of that I have no doubt. As for you Miss Christensen," he shifted his gaze to the young reporter, "Having given consideration to your proposal, we would be delighted to have you."

The way her expression changed, you'd have thought someone just dropped half a million marks in her lap. "Wait, really?!" Sonja asked, spectacularly failing at keeping her eagerness in check.

"Indeed, I believe this will be a wonderful opportunity for both of us. You can get the story you need and my boys and girls will get some much deserved good press. I pray that the fruits of your labors shall be plentiful."

She ran over and hugged Kurt. "Oh my God! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Her voice squeaked. Calming her down was no small effort. One which was only possible after they'd managed to pry her off of him.

"Captain, I understand the desire to give the unit some exposure, but I cannot see any merit in keeping Miss Christensen with us. Any benefits associated with her presence will be outweighed by the hassle. She has no job experience, no formal training, and no comprehension of the life threatening situations she'll certainly end up in. We'd have to waste valuable troops and resources shepherding her through warzones and the exterior survey area. Not to mention the fact that we have no quarters for her, or a means of keeping her supplied."

"She can be attached to one of the replacement squads if need be. She'll be able to train and adapt to our operating procedure alongside them. Ensuring that she understands the basics should be sufficient. There's also a vacant office that she could use, provided we move a bed into it. The closet in there could be converted into a dark room with a little bit of effort. As for supplies, I'll personally put in a requisition order with Colonel Sakurai." He had an answer for everything. No matter the problem, he always managed to find some kind of solution. In the field, it was an invaluable leadership trait. Off the field, it often became a source of irritation for Friedrich.

"You really think the colonel is going to be generous enough to grant you _another_ request sir?" The words were bathed in skepticism.

"If not, I can always turn on the charm."

"So you're going to beg and plead until she gets so annoyed with you that she caves in, is that it?"

"Humility is sometimes necessary to get what one wants my friend. Besides, if Miss Christensen is taking such great risk to achieve her goal, a little bit of groveling on my part is nothing." Far worse things had befallen Kurt Adelheid in his thirty five years than having to kiss a boot or two. "Regardless of the outcome, I intend to provide our guest with what she needs. The duration of her stay is up in the air, but she shall remain with us for the time being. My decision is final on this as well lieutenant."

"Of course sir," Friedrich said grudgingly.

"Your acquiescence is appreciated. Now then, is there anything else that you wished to speak with me about? No?" Oh there was _plenty_ he wanted to say, but he held his tongue. It would undermine the chain of command if he started chewing out his superior officer in front of the enlisted. When there was time he would return and give Kurt an earful; he had that much coming. At present, keeping his voice level was the only recourse, even if his captain was behaving in an indecorous manner.

"Well these two still need to be shown around and given a billet," He gestured to Chrissy and Sara. "Shall I deliver our new recruits to the master sergeants sir?"

"Actually Friedrich, I would prefer if you took care of that."

"Oh no, no way, not happening, sir. I've got more important things to do that babysit the replacements and the news lady. There are reports to write, casualty lists to check, and about a thousand other things."

"Aldrich and Isolde will take over your work load for the rest of the day. I wanted you among the new people anyway. Take this opportunity to spend some time catching up with your family. I insist."

"As you wish, sir" Friedrich muttered through gritted teeth. "Though, if you're intent on playing this game, some reimbursement might be in order. I would like a pack of cigarettes. Not the army kind either, the **good ones** you keep in the drawer." The military issued all soldiers with a ration of cigarettes, but these were usually cheaply made with leftover tobacco. Anyone wanting something better would have to go off base and dig into their own pockets. The captain however, often had access to a few cartons of brand name smokes, particularly _Glückstreffer,_ a favorite of service members in all branches.

"A whole pack?" Kurt almost sounded frightened.

"Yes sir, a **whole pack** , completely sealed, right out of the carton."

He clutched at his chest as if the mere thought was causing him pain. "You are a cruel man Friedrich Kassmeyer. I never thought I would see the day where you treated me like this. Do all our years of friendship mean so little to you?"

"I'll take **two** if you don't stop being so damn melodramatic." God, it felt like he was a parent scolding their child.

"No, please, spare me your villainy sir. Have your reparations and be gone!" He shakily grabbed a pack from inside his desk and handed them to Friedrich. "Auf Wiedersehen my children, know that I shall miss thee terribly."

Friedrich rolled his eyes again. "Sometimes I wonder why you chose the military when you've got such a natural disposition for acting." He said sarcastically before turning to leave.

"Because I figured there were at least one or two people who might benefit from my tutelage," Kurt snickered. "The proof stands here before me."

"You're going to hold that over my head forever aren't you?" Friedrich packed the cigarettes against his palm.

"Such biting words my friend. I'm sure you'll agree that we've made some rather fond memories in our time together."

"That's one way of putting it, sir." He then proceeded through the door, commanding for the trio of young women to follow.

As Friedrich led the others from his office, Kurt waved. "It was marvelous getting to meet you all. Don't hesitate to come to me if there's anything you require." Chrissy and Sonja both smiled and thanked him as they walked out; Sara simply nodded, nudging the other two through the doorway as quickly as she could. The stench of awkwardness and discomfort lingered even after they had gone.

"He seems very nice," Chrissy said once they were outside again.

The word eccentric was what was rattling around in my brain. Given the people I'd met so far, I wonder why I was surprised by that.

Sonja was still grinning ear to ear. "Yeah, he was much more accommodating than I was expecting. I can't believe I'm getting my own room!"

"I want to make something very clear," Friedrich rounded on her. "Just because the captain has decided to let you stick around, doesn't mean I have to be happy about it." He pulled one of the cigarettes, burning more than a third of it in his first drag. "You had better toe the line while you're here or you will quickly find yourself at the top of my shit list. Got it?"

She nodded. "Y—yes Lieutenant Kassmeyer."

"I wish you would quit being so mean, Kassy. This isn't like you."

"And I wish you would stop calling me that, Chrissy."

 _And I wish today was over already._ I thought to myself.

Once we'd stored Chrissy's 'borrowed' motorcycle, we began our grand tour of the facilities. That amounted to little more than a brief walkthrough of the buildings Friedrich had pointed out when we'd arrived. We stopped at the armory first, leaving our weapons in the care of the quartermaster. My shoulder was glad for the four and a half kilos I was no longer carrying, but my rifle's absence would prove annoying if the desire to shoot myself flared up again. I hoped however, that the most frustrating parts of the day were behind me. Thankfully, for the sake of my sanity everything we saw during our jaunt was pretty much what I'd expected. The buildings proved just as uninteresting on the inside as their exteriors had led me to believe. Good.

After about fifteen minutes of wandering the compound, listening to my cousin rattle off one thing after another, we were allowed to grab EPa's (Einmannpackung, Combat Meal, Individual) from the kitchen during our walkthrough of the mess hall. More accurately, Friedrich picked one for each of us at random and then pushed us out the door. I can't say that surprised me, but it was the first semi-decent thing he'd done for us all day. Until then, I'd completely forgotten that I hadn't eaten since last night on the train; I'd been focused on so many other things. So I tucked into whatever the heck was in my tin the moment the lid came off. The sudden rush of hunger quickly betrayed me. The contents of the aluminum dish had the flavor of…I actually have no idea what I was supposed to be eating. My instructor in basic usually just called them _army calories_ , like that was supposed to explain everything. Even after five years, the taste of field rations never ceased to confuse and disappoint me. Considering that it was the first food I'd had all day though, I happily ate every last bite.

We eventually ended up at the barracks, a three story stone structure with sand colored walls that continued for fifty or so feet on either side of the front entrance. It was a lot bigger than the company lodgings up north. Given the unit designation, they should have been similar in size, but this place was massive. Probably could've fit a whole battalion in there. Come to think of it, this whole compound was way too big for a hundred soldiers. Just how many people did they have here?

"Are you going to stand there, gawking like an idiot, or are you actually coming inside?" Friedrich was holding the front door open. Sonja and Chrissy had already entered.

"Oh…sorry I—"

He held up a hand. "I don't have the patience for a crappy excuse. If you have something to say or any more questions, save it for later."

"Like maybe when you get the stick out of your ass?" Sara responded as she walked in.

He mashed the remains of his latest cigarette into the ground. "Watch the tone _Lance Corporal_. Remember that you're speaking to a superior officer."

"Bite me Friedrich." They glared at one another. His passive aggressive attitude was tap dancing on her last nerve.

 _"_ _Have they always spoken to each other like this?"_ Sonja whispered.

"Nah, they're probably just being awkward. Everything will be fine once they have some time to get reacquainted."

"The status of our familial relationship is neither of your concern," Friedrich growled. "I want the three of you to wait here. I'll be back." His back was to them as he started up the stairs. "Natali, are you up there?! I need the updated squad roster!" He shouted before disappearing onto the floor above.

For the first time since we'd bumped into one another, my cousin left us unescorted. I was, relatively speaking, alone with Chrissy. Between her sudden arrival and now, I'd said few words to her. Part of it was shock I think, that and there was very little I felt I could say without shouting. By some miracle of self control, I'd managed to hold my tongue during the meeting, good thing too. My company commander was the last person to air my personal grievances in front of. Friedrich, in his agitated state, wouldn't have helped by being around either. No, any conversation needed to be a one on one. As much of an ass as my cousin was being, he and I shared at least one opinion. _She shouldn't be here_. I'd pleaded with her to stay in Nordheim; I _prayed_ that she'd have the good sense not to follow me. We all know how that turned out. So either God was having a laugh at my expense, or people just blatantly ignored me even more than I'd realized.

Having to do this made me feel like a parent, but someone needed to scold Chrissy. Although, aside from allowing me to vent, I wasn't sure what good it would do. Kurt had already made his decision known. If he didn't listen to his second in command on the matter, there was no way in hell he was going to listen to me, especially after his whole starry-eyed bit about "true friendship." However, I was going to make damn sure that _she_ knew how I felt. There wasn't time to discuss everything yet, but I had to at least address the present situation. She had a hell of an earful coming to her.

"Hey Chrissy, when we get finished with this, I think you and I need to have a talk."

"About what Sara?"

"You know what."

She raised an eyebrow. "Um, okay?" Sara wasn't sure why she was getting that look. Chrissy couldn't actually be that naïve, could she? Well…given how she'd been behaving, she probably didn't see any fault in her actions. Of course, nothing could ever be easy.

Before either of them could say anything else, Friedrich came back down the stairs with a clipboard. He immediately started down the hallway, motioning for them to follow. They came to a halt about halfway along the corridor in front of a door bearing the number seven. Muffled laughter drifted out from the cracks in the doorframe. Friedrich tapped his knuckles against the hollow steel barrier.

"Hey, it's Lieutenant Kassmeyer! We're coming in! If any of you aren't decent, I suggest fixing yourselves immediately!" He paused for a couple of seconds before pulling the door open. One could hear the sounds of people scrambling around on the other side. Within the room, a handful of scouts in varying states of dress stood at attention.

"Good afternoon sir!" A red haired woman snapped a salute.

"Awful lot of noise you were making in here Runa; what are you hiding?"

"Nothing sir, just doing a bit of spring cleaning is all!"

Friedrich held out his palm. "Hand it over."

"I don't know what you mean sir."

"One…two…three…fou—"

"Alright, alright, fine!" She grimaced and reached into her pocket. "You're no fun at all, lieutenant." When she withdrew her hand, it was clutching a moderately sized wad of cash.

"Runa, what have I told you about gambling with your squad mates?"

"That it disrupts unit cohesion and might eventually get me fragged…"

"Correct," He glanced up at the other soldiers. "And what have I told the rest of you about gambling with Runa Vinters?"

"That it's bad for morale and will probably lead us to financial ruin," One of the other scouts mumbled.

"Glad you've been paying attention, Matthias. Mistakes, ladies and gentlemen can be an extremely valuable learning tool. Although, since this is the tenth time we've had to go over this, I think it would serve you better if this money went to a good cause. The company's special fund is a little low this month. Such a generous donation would be greatly appreciated." Friedrich shoved the money into one of his pouches. Several of the scouts groaned in unison. Morale was already suffering the ill effects of their vice.

Runa sighed heavily. "So…what brings you here anyway, sir?"

"I'm looking for Sergeant Drechsler; is he around? I've got a couple more replacements for him."

"He went to the showers, sir; should be back shortly if you want to stick around. Though for our sakes, I hope to God the ones you brought are better than the last one Natali sent over."

"As impudent as these two are, I can't make you any promises. I'm glad you're taking them off my hands, but I warn you, they'll probably be a real pain in the ass. You're free to toss them in the stockade if they give you too much trouble."

Okay, that was it, no more. Enough was enough. He'd been walking around bad mouthing them ever since they showed up. By his account, his unpleasant mood had to with stress and a headache, which he attributed in part to their arrival. Regardless of how he was feeling though, the aggressive attitude was uncalled for. Officer or not, family or not, someone had to knock some manners into him. This wasn't exactly the place, but it never was. Sometimes you just had to deal with things then and there.

"Hey Friedrich, could you do me a favor and shut the hell up?!"

"Lance Corporal, if I have to remind you about your tone one mor—" Before he could finish his sentence, Sara's fist connected with his stomach. The blow was strong, focused, a skill she'd mastered over the course of numerous confrontations. It sent Friedrich reeling backwards into the wall.

"I'm sick and tired of all the shit talking! Ever since I got here, it's been insult this and insult that! Not 'hey Sara, it's been so long, I'm happy to see you.' No 'how have you been, is everything alright?' Nothing but that pissed off look on your face, like there was some big conspiracy going on or whatever! News flash, the world doesn't revolve around you like that! I get that you're not happy about all this, neither am I, but you could at least be civil asshole! Hell, why don't you try putting yourself in my shoes?! For the last eight goddamn years, I thought you were dead, everyone did! People back home, myself included, cried over you for God's sake! I guess you just forgot about all the people who cared about you! So sorry I had to shatter your little fantasy world and remind you that the rest of us still existed!"

"Alright Sara…if that's how…you want to play it fine…by me," He said in between gasps as he straightened up. "Go ahead and pretend like you understand me. Pretend you know what I've been through, what I've seen these last eight years. Whatever you've endured is nothing compared to my struggles. Your temper has always gotten in the way of your judgment and your common sense. When you get frustrated you lash out, because you still think with your heart instead of your brain. How very childish. It seems that you have a lot of growing up to do. Not to mention that you are severely lacking in discipline. Perhaps I need to beat some into you." Friedrich removed his cover and assumed a close combat stance; Sara did the same.

"Perhaps _I_ need to give _you_ a hearty kick in the balls!"

"I'm amazed it took this long for you to end up here considering how insolent you are."

"Sir, I'm not sure this is entirely appropriate," Runa cautiously interjected.

"I'm not exactly fond of these methods myself, but sometimes it's the only way to get the point across. Please, stay out of it."

"Now there's something we can agree on," Sara snarled.

"Hang on guys, do you really think fighting each other is going to solve anything?" Chrissy went to stand between them.

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" They both shouted. Everyone else in the room took a few steps back. Some even ducked behind their bunks. Soldiers' fights were common enough, but it was rare that one looked so fearsome. The eyes of both combatants were laden with immense frustration, trying to force its way to the surface. Eight years worth of tension threatened to burst out. Whatever the outcome of the impending melee, it was clear that neither of them were planning to hold back. That wasn't their style. No, they gave every fight their all, no matter who they were up against. Some measure of blood was likely to be spilt.

Sara came at him first, coming in low like before. That was a mistake. Since Friedrich knew the attack was coming this time, he dodged it easily. He responded with his knee. She didn't even see the maneuver, which found purchase just below her ribcage. The pain was staggering.

She reflexively struck out with her fist, her knuckles impacting his cheek. Friedrich winced, but only slightly and proceeded to sweep Sara's feet out from under her. She landed directly on her shoulder blade. Painful vibrations rippled through her upper body. She fought it and messily rolled to a crouch. Her cousin barely missed his follow up, which caused him to over extend his reach. That small opening was just enough to get in a maneuver. She struck him in gut again and he recoiled, stumbling before falling onto his back. Then, Sara was on him.

"You ready to…give up yet?" She breathed.

Friedrich head-butted her; Sara toppled backwards. "Are you?" He coughed. Each of them had already given their answer.

They both stumbled to their feet and returned to their combat stances. Sara and Friedrich traded another series of blows, returned again, and repeated. The expressions of those watching them were somewhere between fearful and mesmerized. One might describe the spectacle as observing the performance of a twisted ballet. The cousins' movements were incredibly synced even though each had their own special style of hand to hand fighting. Where Friedrich was quick and strategic, Sara was focused and brutal. Both were utterly ferocious. Scouts had long been able to appreciate the artistry of combat, but it was rare to see two of their own engage in so spirited a confrontation. The sound of the scuffle had even brought onlookers from a couple of the nearby rooms. Chrissy had given up trying to stop them, resigning herself to watching anxiously from the sidelines. Sonja, uncertain what to do, was snapping away with her camera. It looked like it was going to take a miracle to pull those two apart.

"Hey, wait up! Is it too late for me to get in on this?!" A dark haired woman pressed her way into the room. "Damn, I'm not gone twenty minutes and everybody starts a fight club without me?" Well, miracle may have been too generous a word in this instance.

Sara's breath caught in her throat when she looked up. _You have got to be shitting me…_ Standing there with a huge, maniac grin on her face was Corporal Viktoria Frost.

"So, how we runnin' things? Ground rules, is there a betting pool, what's the deal?" She eagerly searched for whoever was in charge of the event. Her eyes fell on Friedrich and Sara. She looked them over, admiring the fresh cuts and bruises. "Wow, you two must have been goin' at it hardcore…Wait a sec, aren't you the XO? And you're one of the chicks from the orientation right? Your name's **Kassmeyer** isn't it?"

Everyone's heads spun around so fast they should've broken their necks. All these wide eyed stares and nervous whispers were on us, like someone had just pissed on Erwin Smith's grave. I guess you couldn't blame them for looking at us like that. It's not every day that you see a family reunion and a brawl at the same time. There hadn't been any introductions when my cousin brought us in here; the punches started flying before there'd been an opportunity. I'm willing to admit that that was _partially_ my fault. If Friedrich hadn't been running his mouth…well, whatever, not like name calling would stand up in court as justification for assault. Come what may however, she didn't regret what she'd done. It may not have been smart, but whacking him a couple of times felt really good.

Friedrich wiped some blood away from his nose and straightened up. Despite what had transpired, he was calm and collected when he spoke. "There's no fight club going on; Lance Corporal Kassmeyer and I were just dealing with some personal matters." He scooped up his hat and brushed himself off. "But we're done now." He turned to the group that had assembled at the door. "Anyone who is not a member of Squad Seven, return to your rooms now. Not a single word to anyone about what you saw here. If I discover that anyone talked, you'll all be on latrine duty for the next two months." Those last words had the lot of them scattering like rats. Few things frightened soldiers more than the prospect of having to clean the company toilets long term. The average scout would likely rather charge titans singlehanded than face the unmentionable horrors of a military bathroom.

Once they'd dispersed, it quickly became apparent that no further combat would come to pass, much to Viktoria's disappointment. The tension in the air started ebbing away some and most of those remaining relaxed. While the issue hadn't necessarily been solved, both cousins had gotten to vent a modicum of their frustration. Sara was still mad at him, but she'd calmed down to the point where she no longer felt inclined to violence. Chrissy had already begun tending to her abrasions with a look of disapproval. _So much for getting to have that conversation._ If Sara chastised her for her actions now, she'd look like a total hypocrite. Ironically, it had taken the latter about two seconds to start berating her for the scuffle that had taken place. The image of a one and a half meter girl talking to her like a disappointed parent was rather comical apparently, because she could hear intermittent snickering in the background. Sara wasn't certain, but she thought she heard Sonja snap a picture of it. _Great…_ One bright side to this though, Friedrich had finally stopped swearing at them.

"I don't know exactly what's going on between you and the loot, but this seems like a strange way to be talkin' out your problems," Viktoria said, regarding Sara's numerous cuts and scrapes. "I usually don't get that rough with someone unless—"

"Please don't finish that." Sara clapped her hand over Viktoria's mouth, sealing it before something lewd could escape. What little she, and all the other recruits for that matter had learned of this woman, was already more than enough.

She pulled Sara's hand away. "My, aren't you forward?"

"Where the hell is your mind going?"

"Hey, you made the first move." She shrugged.

She flushed and grabbed Viktoria by the collar. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Please Sara, don't start fighting again," Chrissy tugged on her sleeve. "Hasn't there been enough damage already?"

Viktoria leaned in, grinning mischievously. "My my, who's this cute little thing?"

"I'm Christina Reiss, but everyone calls me Chrissy." She extended her hand. "And you are?"

"Frost, Viktoria Frost, but _you_ can call me Vikki if you'd like."

"Okay, Vikki, it's a pleasure to meet you." She smiled that sweet smile of hers.

"Oh I assure you Chrissy that the pleasure is all _mine_. Wait, wasn't Reiss the name of the royal family a couple centuries back?"

"Mhm, up until the reign of Isaiah Reiss, the Mad King. The story goes that he developed an intense case of psychosis which ended in the famous rampage across the royal palace. Afterwards, Isaiah's wife, Beatrix ascended to the throne, resumed her maiden name, and never remarried. Over the next couple decades, she brought her family, the Lothringen's, closer into politics and steadily removed the Reiss clan from the court. So, after the ensuing power struggle and a short lived uprising, they were stripped of their positions and cast out of the government sphere permanently. According to my grandma, our family has been living in relative obscurity ever since."

"So you've got a little blue blood in those veins huh?"

Chrissy laughed. "No not really, but grandma said that if we were still in power, I would be the first princess of the empire right now."

"Well how about that, we've got an honest to God royal in our company." She looked the small scout over from top to bottom and her smile broadened. "Heh, you are so cute I could just eat you up, your majesty."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, back up a second; what are you doing?" Sara pushed against Viktoria's torso.

"Relax sugarplum, I'm just sayin' hello. Nothin' wrong with gettin' to know someone better is there?"

"I know what you're up to; I've seen it a thousand times from a thousand different people. You're gonna chat her up for a bit, maybe hang out a few times, then you'll go to a movie or something, try to get her drunk and take advantage of her. Well there's no way in hell I'm letting you take my Chrissy's innocence!"

"Ouch girlie, that's a bit harsh. Do I really look like that kind of lady to you?"

"After what you said at the formation, I've got my suspicions."

"Sara, it's not nice to judge a book by its cover. If you do, you'll never read the beautiful story inside." There she went in characteristic fashion, being all sweet and trusting. I continually found myself in awe of her angelic naivety. It was hard to believe that this was the same girl who'd happily committed no less than eight different kinds of crimes in the last day and change.

"Oh my, you are just a little goddess aren't you? Tell me, how long do you think you have to know someone before you can get married? What about children?" Viktoria's eyes were sparkling.

"Uh uh, no way, back up! You are crossing some lines here, very big lines!" Sara pushed with both of her hands. "Someone like you isn't good enough to look at Chrissy! The only person that even comes close to worthy of her hand is me! … _Oh God, I can't believe I just said that."_

"Sara, this is so sudden…I, I don't know what to say…I had no idea you felt that way."

"No, that's not what I—I was just—I mean…ah damn it." Sara couldn't get out a coherent sentence; it didn't help at all that her friend was blushing like a schoolgirl.

"So, are you like…proposing here or what?"

"NO! Just…you just stay away from Chrissy."

Viktoria laughed. "Pump the brakes schneckennudel. I'm not goin' to steal your wifey from you."

"She's not my—we're just—I'm not—ah geez…" Maybe my jackass cousin had a point about the whole " _you think with your heart instead of your brain"_ thing. Either that or I should consider putting a strainer in my throat to filter my speech. After having to safeguard my best friend against so many sleazy people, I usually lashed out reflexively, saying whatever it took to make them back off.

"Don't get all flustered, I'm just messin' with you. You're both adorable as all hell, but I've already got my sights set on that juicy hunk of meat over there." She jerked her thumb to indicate a tall man in the corner who appeared intensely focused on the book in his hand. He'd also been present at the orientation, Daniel Brzenska. "Speakin' of which, I'm about to make him squirm real nice." With a sly grin, she excused herself. She crept, ever so nonchalantly up behind the studious soldier and placed her hands on either of his shoulders. "Enjoyin' that book stud?" She whispered.

Daniel jumped slightly. "Oh, Miss Viktoria, you startled me." _Miss? She was hardly worthy of an honorific._

"Didn't mean to hon, sorry." Lies… "Whatcha readin' there Danny boy?"

"Oh um, it's one of the later works by Herman Haas, _Das Glasperlenspiel._ It's an incredibly intriguing novel."

"Mmm, sounds pretty kinky."

Daniel's brow furrowed. "I'm not what you mean by…" He paused a moment, the realization dawning on him. His cheeks flushed a vibrant shade of red. "Miss Viktoria, that is incredibly indecent!"

She giggled. "Oh Danny, you're such a choir boy."

Chrissy looked over at Sara. "I don't get it."

"And you don't need to," She responded flatly.

Viktoria was a frighteningly forward individual. Even surrounded by complete strangers, she behaved as though she'd been long acquainted with all of them. How Daniel spoke with her so politely was beyond comprehension. There was no grace, or elegance, or even basic courtesy in any of her actions. She seemed to lack the manners and inhibitions that normally dictated the flow of conversation. One shuddered to think how she treated her actual friends. Sara could only guess at the contents of her personnel file, but imagined that it was stacked high with harassment complaints. She didn't even want to think about the details surrounding the crimes Viktoria had committed. Well, she couldn't stick around forever; and the sooner she was gone, the better Sara would feel. She'd had enough of that woman to last a lifetime.

Her cousin came up next to her. "I doubt she'll be easy to handle, but please refrain from starting anything with her," Friedrich said levelly. "A squad cannot perform in the field if there's animosity between its soldiers."

It took a couple of seconds before she actually registered what he'd said. "Please tell me you're joking. There's no way in hell you put me in the same squad as that…that deviant!"

"It really took you _this_ long to figure that out? You'll probably be in the same fire team too, depending how Sergeant Drechsler splits you up." Sara had to fight the urge to clock him.

"You're going to some pretty extensive lengths to ruin my week aren't you?" _Ruin it further at least._

"Actually, this was purely a coincidence. Squad Seven was the only one that still had empty spots. There's nothing to be done about that. Still, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't having a laugh or two about it on the inside."

"If you're keen on another punching match, I've got the energy."

"Quit acting so childish; having another outburst isn't going to improve anything. Accept the hand you've been dealt and move on. If I have to do that much, so do you."

Perfect, this was just perfect. People were really pushing my buttons. On top of all the other crap I'd put up with today, this had to be the icing on the cake. As I'd anticipated, the desire to shoot myself arose again and I was less my rifle. _Of all the times in my life to be unarmed._ If a titan had showed up at that moment and taken a bite out of me, I wouldn't have been upset in the slightest. My frustration was only deepened by the ungodly amount of time it took for Sergeant Drechsler to show up. I did my best to shut the world out while I waited. Unsurprisingly, that didn't work. By the sergeant came through the door, I was preparing to bash my head against the wall. A couple good taps against the brick is all it would take. However, just before I went to off myself, renewed conversation from the entryway alerted me to the sergeant's arrival.

He appeared to be a man in his mid twenties, with a slender yet sturdy build, average height, and light grey hair. His face bore the distinct features associated with Asiatic lineage, a race once thought extinguished during the initial titan apocalypse. Though they survived, their numbers were relatively few. He wore the standard attire of the Survey Corps in addition to a scarf of some kind that covered his neck. He hadn't been heard entering the room, and probably would've remained unnoticed if Friedrich hadn't spoken to him. There wasn't a single sound that had been made.

"You sure took your sweet time in the showers Drechs," Friedrich said.

He shrugged. His eyes narrowed as he got a full look at Friedrich. He raised an eyebrow and made some sort of gesture with his hands.

"There was a family disagreement…"

Sergeant Drechsler made another gesture.

"Yeah, she's right over there," Friedrich pointed at Sara. "Man I forgot how fast word travels among criminals." The sergeant made yet another unusual motion with his hands, at which Friedrich half laughed. "Alright, I want all replacements front and center, move it, you too Sonja."

Viktoria and Daniel, the latter with considerably more crimson in his face, came in alongside Sara and Chrissy. Lord knows what else Viktoria had said to him, but she looked pleased with herself. Including the new resident photographer, five individuals were gathered in a loose semi-circle in front of Friedrich and the Sergeant.

"I would like to introduce you to the leader of Squad Seven, Sergeant Kyland Drechsler, or Drechs as most of his troopers call him. He's a two year veteran of the company and the best marksman this side of Wall Rose. The man's as quiet as death itself and could shoot the wings off a fly with his eyes shut. He's killed so many rebs that they started calling him the Silver Haired Devil. You're gonna be real glad you aren't on the business end of his scope when the lead starts flying." Kyland rolled his eyes and punched Friedrich in the arm.

"Yeah, yeah, tales of glory later I got it. Sergeant, allow me to present your fresh fish. Corporal Viktoria Frost, Support Gunner 1st Class Daniel Brzenska, Lance Corporal Sara Kassmeyer, Technician Christina Reiss, and the lady with the camera is Sonja Christensen; she's a reporter for some paper up north."

He casually waved to them and made several movements with his fingers.

Viktoria raised her hand. "I'll ask the obvious here, why isn't he talkin' and what's up with his hands?"

"Is the concept of sign language foreign to you Corporal Frost?"

Sonja cocked her head to the side. "So, he does that because his ears are broken?"

Sergeant Drechsler scrunched up his nose and moved his hands again.

"Come on Drechs, none of that. She's just a civilian and doesn't know any better."

"What'd he say?" Sara asked.

"For the benefit of our non-military member, I'd rather not translate. Anyway, his ears work just fine, better than any of yours, he just can't speak."

"There's a story behind that I'm guessing?"

"Back when the good sergeant was fresh out of the academy, he ended up doing some things that pissed off a few members of the mob. So they strapped him to an operating table and messed with his throat so he couldn't speak anymore. It's quite the riveting yarn, but I'll spare you the details, best to hear it from the man himself. Well, once you can understand him anyway."

"And how exactly are we supposed to learn sign language?" Sara put up her hands.

"The other squaddies will teach you, they've all been here long enough. Out in combat though, Drechs mostly uses the military signal manual to communicate, mostly. Make sure you get both down. Remember, communication is a key part of teamwork." The last remark sounded like it'd been made by an overly patronizing school teacher.

"How long before we need to know all that Kassy?"

" **Don't** call me that and the sooner you learn the better. After all, we start running drills bright and early tomorrow. So get settled, get acquainted for a little while, and start working on the basics. Chow's at 1830. Sergeant Drechsler, I leave these greenhorns in your capable hands. Have fun kiddos." Friedrich turned towards the door.

"Wait, so that's it, you're leaving?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I've got a date with the showers and a fresh uniform. Make good use of your time everyone. Oh, and one more thing before I go. Seeing as we've rotated in the new crop, we'll need to ensure that they are trained to Kurt's standards. All members of Squad Seven will be pulling extra duty over the next couple weeks to make that happen." The groans started up like before, only much louder.

" _Weeks_ lieutenant?" Runa sounded exhausted already. "Come on, you're gonna run us into the damn ground."

"Then I would suggest that you get a good night's sleep; tomorrow is going to be a busy day. Remember Ms. Vinters, this is a penal unit, we're not supposed to have it easy." His voice echoed down the hallway. "And Sara, I do hope you put as much energy into your training as you did this little bout. Potential is a terrible thing to waste."

With that, my cousin was gone. He'd left me with a group of compulsive gamblers, a sexual deviant, and a sergeant that I couldn't understand. I was going to have to watch my wallet, my tongue, and probably my butt too. This was so weird that you couldn't make it up if you tried. Though, as long as I kept my wits about me, I should be fine in the long run. Penal unit or not, soldiers tended to operate on the same principles everywhere. Although, this place had already proven me wrong more than once today.

"So, I have a quick question," Viktoria said after Friedrich had been gone a few moments. "What in the hell kind of nickname for a guy is Cassie?"

Sara buried her face in her palm. "Viktoria, not now."


End file.
